Policy process for health sector reforms: a case study of Punjab Province (Pakistan).

The health sector in the Punjab (Pakistan) faces many problems, and, the government introduced reforms during 1993-2000. This paper explores the policy process for the reforms. A case study method was used and, to assist this, a conceptual framework was developed.

Training evaluation: a case study of training Iranian health managers.

Background: The Ministry of Health and Medical Education in the Islamic Republic of Iran has undertaken a reform of its health system, in which-lower level managers are given new roles and responsibilities in a decentralized system. To support these efforts, a United Kingdom-based university was contracted by the World Health Organization to design a series of courses for health managers and trainers. This process was also intended to develop the capacity of the National Public Health Management Centre in Tabriz, Iran, to enable it to organize relevant short courses in health management on a continuing basis.

In-country capacity development of a training institute: an Iranian experience.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the Government initiative for developing the in-country capacity of the National Public Health Management Centre (NPMC) in Tabriz. The UNDP definition of capacity has been used as a framework for assessment with the primary focus of the current assessment being on the training component.

Design/methodology/approach: The pape shows that Iran, which is a lower-middle income country, has a network of training institutions for both pre-service and continuing education of its human resources in health.

Decentralization, health care and policy process in the Punjab, Pakistan in the 1990s.

The Province of the Punjab underwent a number of attempts to decentralize the health sector in the 1990s. Among the most important were the decentralization of financial management within the district, the Sheikhupura PHC Pilot Project, the establishment of the District Health Authorities and District Health Management Teams, the creation of semi-autonomous hospitals and the programme of District Health Government (DHG). These usually received donor support and promotion, and emerged from within the provincial Department of Health, and more specifically the Secretariat and the internationally supported Second Family Health Project (FH2).