Supporting the delivery of cost-effective interventions in primary health-care systems in low-income and middle-income countries: an overview of systematic reviews.
Strengthening health systems is a key challenge to improving the delivery of cost-effective interventions in primary health care and achieving the vision of the Alma-Ata Declaration. Effective governance, financial and delivery arrangements within health systems, and effective implementation strategies are needed urgently in low-income and middle-income countries. This overview summarises the evidence from systematic reviews of health systems arrangements and implementation strategies, with a particular focus on evidence relevant to primary health care in such settings. Although evidence is sparse, there are several promising health systems arrangements and implementation strategies for strengthening primary health care. However, their introduction must be accompanied by rigorous evaluations. The evidence base needs urgently to be strengthened, synthesised, and taken into account in policy and practice, particularly for the benefit of those who have been excluded from the health care advances of recent decades.
Lewin
Simon
S
Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.
Lavis
John N
JN
Oxman
Andrew D
AD
Bastías
Gabriel
G
Chopra
Mickey
M
Ciapponi
Agustín
A
Flottorp
Signe
S
Martí
Sebastian García
SG
Pantoja
Tomas
T
Rada
Gabriel
G
Souza
Nathan
N
Treweek
Shaun
S
Wiysonge
Charles S
CS
Haines
Andy
A
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D003906:Developing Countries; D006291:Health Policy; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D012196:Review Literature as Topic