A review of national health policies in seven countries in the WHO African Region.
OBJECTIVE
This paper proposes an analytical framework for assessing compliance of national health policies with WHO/AFRO guidelines.


METHODS
Data for this study was obtained from the national health policies of Botswana, Eritrea, Liberia, Namibia, Swaziland, Gambia, and Uganda.


METHODS
National health policies of seven of the 19 Anglophone countries of the WHO African region were selected for review using simple random sampling method. These include: Botswana, Eritrea, Liberia, Namibia, Swaziland, Gambia, and Uganda.


METHODS
An analytical framework derived from WHO/AFRO guidelines for developing national health policies and plans was used in the review. It identifies components which are pertinent for appropriate national health policy formulation.


RESULTS
It appears that aspects related to policy content are well addressed. In relation to the process, there is need for improving the mapping of stakeholders and specifying their roles and aspects of collaboration; and the implications for meeting broad service and impact targets.


CONCLUSIONS
Development of health policies needs to focus on all aspects of the analytical framework with emphasis on improving the articulation for mapping out stakeholders and specifying their roles and aspects of collaboration; and the implications for meeting broad service and impact targets.
Barry
S P
SP
Health Policies and Services Delivery Programme, Division of Health Systems and Services Development, WHO Regional Office for Africa, BP 06, Brazzaville, Congo.
Diarra-Nama
A J
AJ
Sambo
L G
LG
Kirigia
J M
JM
Bakeera
S
S
D000349:Africa; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011634:Public Health; D014944:World Health Organization