Health Policy

Most obviously, the civil war that the country has suffered has caused major disruption to the health system in terms of damage to physical infrastructure, loss of skilled professionals and, through the wider economic effects, reduction in the real resources available to the health sector. It has also resulted in changes in population patterns, and specific health problems ranging from mental trauma through to physical disability.

In addition to these war-related effects, there are wider changes that many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are facing which have implications for the health policy. These include changing patterns of disease and demography such as the growing problem of HIV/AIDS, the escalating problems of TB and malaria and the more general epidemiological and demographic transition. They also include general recognition of the need to re -examine the way in which the health care sector is structured in particular with greater effective decentralisation, partnership between public and private sectors, and greater transparency of decision-making including the involvement of communities and other key stakeholders in decision-making and accountability processes.