Resource Center
Contracting for Health Services: Effects of Utilization and Quality on the Costs of the Basic Package of Health Services in Afghanistan
The authors researched the effects of changes in health service utilization and quality on the costs of the Basic Package of Health Services in 13 provinces of Afghanistan. The study grouped data from more than 4,350 health facilities that represented 21 different NGO contracts for service delivery between April 2006 and March 2007. The authors concluded that access to health services can be extended through contracting mechanisms in a postconflict state even in the presence of security problems. Service characteristics, geographical distance, and the security situation failed to consistently explain, alone or in combination, variations in per capita costs or visits. Using these parameters as the basis for planning, therefore, does not necessarily lead to better resource allocation.