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Better health is central
to human happiness and well-being. It also makes an important contribution to
economic progress, as healthy populations live longer, are more productive,
and save more. The health of the people is always a
national priority: Many factors influence health status and a
country's ability to provide quality health services for its people. The ultimate responsibility for the overall performance of
a country’s health system lies with government, which in turn should involve
all sectors of society in its stewardship. The careful and responsible
management for the well-being of the population is the very essence of good
government. For every country it means establishing the best and fairest
health system possible with available resources. Stewardship encompasses the
tasks of defining the vision and direction of health policy, exerting
influence through regulation and advocacy, and collecting and using
information. It also means providing an evidence base to assist countries’
efforts to improve the performance of their health systems.
Governance and policies
for health refers to ‘accountability matters’. It includes:
· Developing 'standards' for health sector
policies and expenditure frameworks: to fit with broader national development
policies and resource frameworks; underpinning with commitments to human
rights, equity and gender equality; ensuring fit between strategy and
structure; reducing duplication and fragmentation;
· Collaboration and
coalition building: across and outside government, to act upon the key
determinants of health; engaging other sectors and generating support to
public health policies;
· Designing, implementing and monitoring health
related laws: regulation and standards, in national and international health
regulations; trade debates in areas affecting health systems; the role of the
state in governance of health; incorporation of international rights and
responsibilities into national policy and practice.
· Accountability: monitoring health systems
performance; ensuring health system actors are publicly accountable.
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