Health policy implementation: The missing link

• Main Authors: Yusof, Rohana, Mashi, Amina Lawal
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/13148/1/71.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/13148/; http://www.uumicg2014.com/

The paper examined the performance of Nigeria’s health policies in the last three decades.The objectives of the paper are to: determine the approaches used in the policy formulation and implementation,the role of the beneficiaries in determining the success or other wise of a policy, and factors responsible for the non-realization of the health targets sets despite government commitments.The paper reviewed various studies carried out in Nigeria and indeed other developing Nations on health policies formulation and implementation.The findings indicate that the traditional top-down approach based on the Elite model (i.e. where perceptions and experiences of the beneficiaries were ignored) is one of the major contributory factors contributing to policy failure during implementation, health policies are formulated based on epidemiological approach to the study of health, thus ignoring environmental and social factors affecting health etc.The paper recommends change of approach to policy formulation and implementation based on Network approach, formulation of National health policies based on peculiarities of each UN member states (i.e.not merely on UN conventions), and more proactive approach to tackling health issues on the basis of collectively oriented social and environmental approach rather than the traditional bio medical epidemiological.