Health
The improvement of the health status of its population is a major goal of almost every country in the world. Good health is a determinant of better economic performance whilst the costs of health care services drive millions of poor people further down the cycle of impoverishment. Lack of access to basic health care services is a major aspect of global and national inequalities. At the same time technological advances in the clinical and information sciences offer the possibility of major improvements in health status and quality of health services.
Therefore the failure to deliver on this potential is a major challenge and the central interest of the OPM health portfolio. The causes of poor performance of health systems are multiple and inter connected. The strength of OPM lies in its ability to understand the complexities of the health sector and to provide advice and support from the macro level of health policy and sector wide reform to the micro level of health services delivery. Whilst our core expertise lies in health policy, health economics and the effective organisation of health services we have the capacity also to field teams with specific clinical and technical expertise. The overall breadth of OPM also provides us with particular strengths of analysis and advice across and within government.
In recent years the OPM health portfolio has delivered its services in South and South East Asia; in Eastern, Southern and West Africa; in the Caribbean and South America; and in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It has worked in countries of relative stability but with continuing problems in the health sector particularly in delivering services to the poor; in economies and societies in transition often seeking a new balance between the public and private sector; and in countries emerging from profound periods of instability and rebuilding their health systems. It works with central and regional governments and with the government and non government sectors.
OPM can offer its clients services in the following areas:
- Development and evaluation of overall policy and strategies
- Organisational analysis and capacity strengthening
- Health financing and economic analysis of services
- Planning and strategy implementation support
- Health human resources development and management
Health Portfolio teams typically combine OPM leadership and quality assurance, highly experienced international expertise, and a growing network of regional institutions and experts. Such teams will include individuals at the cutting edge of conceptual development in the field in question and individuals with personal track records in the management of change and improvement in the health sector.
In recent years the portfolio services have been funded by ADB, DFID, WB, IADB, DANIDA, GTZ, the Aga Khan Development Network, as well as directly by client governments.