Tim Ensor
Do essential service packages benefit the poor? Preliminary evidence from Bangladesh
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
1998 bangladesh began sector wide approach swap extension health care vulnerable groups country central feature approach funding essential service package esp emphasizing maternal care certain communicable diseases child health study examines way public sector expenditures distributed comparing actual beneficiaries spending target groups identified sector strategy finds esp helping target resources priority services considerable barriers access vulnerable groups persist study suggests number issues need addressed improve performance programme first improved targeting requires greater emphasis process access key services secondly improving efficiency service provision primary level key element increasing access since individual primary providers often ready provide standard care required esp approach services finally system financial control management needs modified order make allocations responsive priorities determined swap given widespread adoption esp approach health care paper also suggests wider research agenda examines impact countries evaluates worldwide experiment health service prioritization