Improving access to reproductive and child health services in developing countries: are competitive voucher schemes an option?

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 975-981 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Bhatia ◽  
A. C. Gorter
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
Reproductive And Child Health ◽  
And Child Health

The India Local Initiatives Program: A Model for Expanding Reproductive and Child Health Services

2005 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Paxman ◽  
Abu Sayeed ◽  
Ann Buxbaum ◽  
Sallie Craig Huber ◽  
Charles Stover
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
Local Initiatives ◽  
Reproductive And Child Health ◽  
And Child Health

scholarly journals Community involvement in reproductive health: Findings from research in Karnataka, India

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
Reproductive And Child Health ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Child Health

In 1996, the government of India decided to provide a package of reproductive and child health services through the existing family welfare program, adopting a community needs assessment approach (CNAA). To implement this approach, the government abolished its practice of setting contraceptive targets centrally and introduced a decentralized planning strategy whereby health workers assessed the reproductive health needs of women in their respective areas and prepared local plans to meet those needs. They also involved community leaders to promote community participation in the reproductive and child health program. Since 1998, several evaluation studies have assessed the impact of CNAA on the program’s performance and community participation. These studies showed that the performance of the maternal health-care program improved, whereas the functioning of the family planning program initially declined but later recovered. The approach achieved little in boosting community involvement. This project tested a new model of health committee to help stimulate community participation in reproductive and child health activities at the village level. The experiment, described in this report, was conducted in the Hunsur block of the Mysore District in Karnataka for two years. Researchers evaluated the impact in terms of community involvement and utilization of reproductive and child health services.

RICH–POOR GAP IN UTILIZATION OF REPRODUCTIVE AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES IN INDIA, 1992–2005

2009 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. MOHANTY ◽  
P. K. PATHAK
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Wealth Index ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
Medical Assistance ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Reproductive And Child Health ◽  
And Child Health

SummaryThis paper examines the trends in utilization of five indicators of reproductive and child health services, namely, childhood immunization, medical assistance at delivery, antenatal care, contraceptive use and unmet need for contraception, by wealth index of the household in India and two disparate states, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The data from three rounds of the National Family and Health Survey conducted during 1992–2005 are analysed. The wealth index is computed using principal component derived weights from a set of consumer durables, land size, housing quality and water and sanitation facilities of the household, and classified into quintiles for all three rounds. Bivariate analyses, rich–poor ratio and concentration index are used to understand the trends in utilization of, and inequality in, reproductive and child health services. The results indicate huge disparities in utilization of these services, largely to the disadvantage of the poor. Utilization of basic childhood immunization among the poorest and the poor stagnated in India, as well as in both states, during 1998–2005 compared with 1992–1998. The use of maternal care services such as medical assistance at delivery and antenatal care remained at a low level among the poor over this period. However, contraceptive use increased relatively faster among the poor, even with higher unmet need. Of all these services, the inequality in medical assistance at delivery is consistently large, while that of contraceptive use is small. The state-level differences in service coverage by wealth quintiles over time are large.

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