Political Strategies for Health Reform in Turkey: Extending Veto Point Theory.

-This qualitative case study uses primary interview data to investigate the political processes of how Turkey established a unified and universal health coverage system. The goal of providing health coverage to all citizens through a unified system has been adopted by many low- and middle-income countries, but few have achieved it; Turkey is a notable exception. We use institutional veto point theory to identify four institutional obstacles to a unified and universal coverage system in Turkey between 2003 and 2008: (1) the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, (2) the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, (3) the Office of the President, and (4) the Constitutional Court.

Global Fund investments in human resources for health: innovation and missed opportunities for health systems strengthening.

Background: Since the early 2000s, there have been large increases in donor financing of human resources for health (HRH), yet few studies have examined their effects on health systems.

Objective: To determine the scope and impact of investments in HRH by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), the largest investor in HRH outside national governments.

Methods: We used mixed research methodology to analyse budget allocations and expenditures for HRH, including training, for 138 countries receiving money from the Global Fund during funding rounds 1-7.