THE HEALTH SYSTEM

System a set of interrelated and independent parts that form a complex whole and each of these parts can be viewed as a subsystem with its own set of interrelated and independent parts. Health system the interrelated ways in which the country organizes available resources for the maintenance and improvement of the health of its citizens and communities . The system includes a health infrastructure which delivers a variety of health programs and provides health care to individual families and communities. Such health care consists of a combination of a promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative measures.

The health system is usually composed of various levels : 1. Point of contact between individuals and system where care is delivered. 2. Intermediate 3. Central The latter two provide more specialized services and support.

HEALTH SECTOR |  HEALTH STATUS ----- POPULATION | HEALTH RELATED SECTOR

Health sector indicates the group of services or institutions in the community which are concerned with the health protection of the population.

Functions of the Health Sector

1. Direct supervision of health services covering the aspects of promotion, prevention, diagnosis and treatment and medical / dental rehabilitation. 2. Development and provision of health manpower, drugs, medical supplies and financing support schemes. 3. Research and development to continuously maintain the relevance and capability of the present health care system to the evolving national and local situations. 4. Coordinating , controlling and directing organizations and activities associated with other functions. The functions enumerated coincide with the generic nomenclature given by Kaluzny et al namely : production, maintenance, adaptive, managerial.

Programs of the Health System

These are specific courses of action with assigned resources designed to accomplish a given objectives.  Categories: a. General Health b. Tuberculosis Control c. Malaria Control d. Maternal and Child Health e. Family Planning f. Environmental Health g. Nutrition h. School Health i. Oral Health


Financing of the Health System

charges1. Users charges- particularly suited for those aspects of health care that are considered private goods , benefits of the service accrue directly to the user. Curative services and personal health care fall in this category. 2. Public subsidy aspect of health care whose benefits are widely spread . Would also be needed to provide private goods such as curative and personal care for indigents and low-income segment of population. low3. Community financing the most readily available resource tapped in community financing is voluntary labor coupled with mass action of fund raising activities. Effective in environmental sanitation, setting up and maintaining potable water supply facilities.

Financing of the Health System

4. Health insurance more complex and structured form of health financing based on a system of risk sharing. The main advantage is the ability to raise revenues commensurate with the assured levels of health cost protection offered to its members by breaking down into regular small cost premiums in exchange for assurance of full or substantial coverage of cost or dreaded events such as medical needs. 5. Involvement of private sector company financed health benefits for employees and dependents , sponsorship of medical bills by philanthropic societies, groups or individuals spontaneous or inspired public donations to finance medical or emergency needs of disaster victims , special lotteries to raise funds to support operation of a medical facility or services.

Health System Based on Primary Health Care



1. The system should encompass the entire population on the basis of equality and responsibility. 2. It should include components from the health and other sectors whose interrelated actions contribute to health. 3. the essential elements of Primary Health Care should be delivered at the first point of contact between individuals and the health system. 4. The other levels of the health system should support the first contact level to permit it to provide essential elements on a continuing basis.

5. At the intermediate levels more complex problems would be dealt with more skilled and specialized logistic support . More highly trained staff should provide : a. continuing training to peripheral health workers b. guidance to communities and community health workers on practical problems arising in connection with all aspects of PHC.  6. The central level should coordinate all parts of the system and provide : a. planning and management expertise b. highly specialized staff c. teaching for specialized staff d. expertise of central laboratories e. central logistics and financial support units


DISTRICT HEALTH SYSTEMS District as defined by WHO , as the smallest manageable health units in small areas.That has the ingredients for self-reliant health selfcare. - Primary health care facilities in communities - Referral hospital - Laboratory facilities - Health office with a full time health officer. The concept is also labeled the first referral level which has the advantage of stressing the need to be close enough to the front line in order to provide effective back-up for the primary health backcare level.