Submitted by Homira (not verified) on Tue, 2010-07-13 17:39.
As always, Ruth is acutely aware of wider health system tensions like the supply chain of inputs and consumables. To be sure RBF is but one tool in the larger toolkit of a functioning health system. At present RBF is targeting human resource incentives (health care staff) as the entry point to ensuring quality of health service delivery, but who knows what else RBF can be applied to in the future. Could we use RBF to improve supply chains from CMS' to the peripheral facilities? What about other bottlenecks like traditional community attitudes and behaviors that prevent women from seeking health care during pregnancy? Could we use performance incentives to help donors coordinate more effectively?
Simply by virtue of its mechanisms RBF is going to improve other components of the health system like monitoring and evaluation, HMIS, and surveillance, so the ripple effects of this one tool could catapult health systems strengthening way beyond the current scope. Let's hope global health funding continues to give the most vulnerable an opportunity to see the cascading benefits of this tool.
Excellent point on inputs as part of the equation
As always, Ruth is acutely aware of wider health system tensions like the supply chain of inputs and consumables. To be sure RBF is but one tool in the larger toolkit of a functioning health system. At present RBF is targeting human resource incentives (health care staff) as the entry point to ensuring quality of health service delivery, but who knows what else RBF can be applied to in the future. Could we use RBF to improve supply chains from CMS' to the peripheral facilities? What about other bottlenecks like traditional community attitudes and behaviors that prevent women from seeking health care during pregnancy? Could we use performance incentives to help donors coordinate more effectively?
Simply by virtue of its mechanisms RBF is going to improve other components of the health system like monitoring and evaluation, HMIS, and surveillance, so the ripple effects of this one tool could catapult health systems strengthening way beyond the current scope. Let's hope global health funding continues to give the most vulnerable an opportunity to see the cascading benefits of this tool.