Coverage Of Basic Services Research Articles

Informal settlements in Colombia: A look at the city of Tunja (2010-2022)

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of informal settlements in Tunja, Colombia, from 2010 to 2022. It examines the historical, social, and economic factors that contribute to these settlements, using various data sources, including development and territorial planning plans, the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute, and local government records. The study highlights significant inequalities in access to public services between urban and rural areas, exacerbated by environmental hazards from nearby mines, landfills, and sewage treatment plants. The research employs a descriptive and explanatory approach, detailing the historical context and theoretical frameworks related to agglomeration economics, territorial inequality, and urbanization processes. A historical-deductive method ensures logical consistency in the analysis of data from 2010 to 2022. The study also utilizes georeferencing techniques to present spatial data on service coverage and demographic characteristics, differentiating urban and rural disparities. Findings show that informal settlements in Tunja are predominantly located on the periphery of the city, with significant disparities in service coverage. While urban areas have over 90% coverage of basic services, rural areas lack adequate infrastructure, particularly sewage, gas, and internet services. The study identifies specific settlements, such as Runta and Pirgua, details their access to services and highlights environmental and structural issues.

Municipios y calidad de vida: análisis de la cobertura de servicios básicos en la provincia de Santa Fe entre 2001 y 2010

In this paper we will analyse the coverage of basic services in the 55 municipalities of Santa Fe Province. In a broad sense, the growth of this kind of services is a constant challenge; its improvement reflects the progress in the quality of life. It is also an important factor to explain development. In the first place, we will determine and compare rates of the coverage of basic services from 2001 to 2010. In order to do so, we will analyse the coverage variation of that period taking into account housing increment. In the third place, we will examine changes considering population size—cohorts—and the regional belonging of the municipalities, seeking to understand the related factors to coverage variation along the aforementioned period, Regarding the methodological approach, we will combine different relevant rates of the provision of basic home services for urban life. Our information sources are the Censos Nacionales de Poblacion, Hogares y Viviendas de Argentina (INDEC, 2001) (INDEC , 2010), and also statistics of the Instituto Provincial de Estadisticas y Censos de la Provincia de Santa Fe -Argentina- (IPEC, 2017). The achievements gave us the opportunity to appreciate the quantitative change process of the coverage of basic services in the area between the years 2001 and 2010. We have detected non-causal connections between the coverage of basic services and municipalities’ demographic size with its location in the province.

Contracting urban primary healthcare services in Bangladesh – effect on use, efficiency, equity and quality of care

To evaluate a large, ongoing effort to improve urban primary health care (PHC) in Bangladesh through expansion of publicly funded urban health facilities and contracting with partner non-governmental organisations (NGOs). A part of Chittagong was assigned to a contracted NGO while the other parts of the city were contracted to the local government. Performance was assessed by baseline and follow-on household surveys, an endline health facility survey and routinely collected data. The results of a health facility survey indicated that overall quality of care was better in the NGO area, and routinely collected data showed that the NGO provided many more services per capita. Based on household survey data, the NGO area of Chittagong was poorer and had lower coverage at baseline. There were significant improvements in both government and NGO-run areas. However, larger improvements were observed on some coverage indicators in the NGO area compared to the government area. Improvements in coverage among the poorest 50% of the population were greater in the NGO-run area. The cost per service delivered was 47% lower in the NGO area. Investments in urban PHC led to an improvement in the coverage of basic services. Contracting with an NGO had an additional effect in terms of improving coverage, equity, quality of care and efficiency. Increased investments in PHC facilities and contracting with NGOs may be effective in improving urban health services.

Productivity of Household Investment in Health: the Case of Colombia

The purpose of this study is to understand how public and private investments in health in Colombia are related to future earnings of individuals. The returns to good health of individuals and the determinants of the health production function are analyzed. The magnitude of the returns to having good health status is identified through the direct effect of health variables on earnings of individuals. Regional (rural-urban) and gender aspects are considered separately. The significant IV estimates showed that one more day of disability decreased male rural earnings by 33% and female by 13%, that having a disability in a given month decreased the earnings of an urban male by 28% and by 14% for an urban female, and that having one more centimeter of stature increased urban female earnings by 6. 9% and urban male earnings by 8%. These returns to height are much larger than those found in other countries and reveal that investments in nutrition are as important as investments in education for future increases in productivity and growth. Estimations of health production functions showed that it would be desirable to increase social security coverage in rural areas in order to see a lower incidence or duration of illness in these regions. However, in urban areas, where the system of social security is more developed, social security may increase the tendency to report illness. In general, wealthier individuals tend to have better health and the interaction between non-labor income of the individual and adequate housing affects positively the health status of individuals. Policies oriented to increase the coverage of basic services in households, such as electricity, potable water or sewage, have a negligible effect on height and, through height, on productivity. Policies oriented to provide more adequate housing translate into better health conditions and productivity for individuals.

Health equity issues at the local level: socio-geography, access, and health outcomes in the service area of the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer-Haiti.

BackgroundAlthough health equity issues at regional, national and international levels are receiving increasing attention, health equity issues at the local level have been virtually overlooked. Here, we describe here a comprehensive equity assessment carried out by the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer-Haiti (HAS) in 2003. HAS has been operating health and development programs in the Artibonite Valley of Haiti for 50 years.MethodsWe reviewed all available information arising from a comprehensive evaluation of the programs of HAS carried out in 1999 and 2000. As part of this evaluation, two demographic and health surveys were carried out. We carried out exit interviews with clients receiving primary health care, observations within health facilities, interviews with households related to quality of care, and focus group discussions with community-based health workers. A special study was carried out in 2003 to assess factors determining the use of prenatal care services. Finally, selected findings were obtained from the HAS information system.ResultsWe found markedly reduced access to health services in the peripheral mountainous areas compared to the central plains. The quality of services was more deficient and the coverage of key services was lower in the mountains. Finally, health status, as measured by under-five mortality rates and levels of childhood malnutrition, was also worse in the mountains.ConclusionThese findings indicate that local health programs need to give attention to monitoring the health status as well as the quality and coverage of basic services among marginalized groups within the program service area. Health inequities will not be overcome until such monitoring occurs and leaders of health programs ensure that inequities identified are addressed in the local programming of activities. It is quite likely that, within relatively small geographic areas in resource-poor settings around the world, similar, if not even greater, levels of health inequities exist. These inequities need to be measured and addressed in order for health programs to achieve equity and maximum improvement in health status within the population.

The viability of decentralized water and sanitation provision in developing countries: the case of Honduras

The sustainable delivery of basic services continues to be an elusive goal for water and sanitation operators in developing countries. In Honduras, both centralized and decentralized providers of water and sanitation coexist simultaneously, providing an opportunity to compare the effectiveness of each approach amid similar constraints. This analysis uses ten variables that measure access, efficiency and sustainability, in comparing the experiences of 16 potable water systems in small- and medium-sized cities, operated by centralized and decentralized water authorities. While neither approach provides a single, integrated model of a best practice, overall the decentralized systems demonstrate better practices than their centralized counterparts. Decentralized potable water systems systematically outperform centralized ones in financial efficiency and in their ability to increase coverage of basic services over time. In large part, the decentralized systems' better practices have been motivated by institutional arrangements that promote political accountability to customers and provide incentives for sustainable management practices. Decentralized operators continue to face challenges, namely the need to apply economic principles in designing tariff regimes and implementing management practices to account for capital depreciation. Despite these challenges, however, this analysis demonstrates that decentralized systems are not only viable in developing countries, but also tend to provide better service than those systems operated by a centralized authority.