The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67727

Nile Reigna El Wardani, MPH, MPhil, PhD, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom, N/A, nelwardani@piwh.org

The purpose of this research has been to examine to what degree procedural justice played a role in the policy process of Health Sector Reform (HSR) in Egypt from 1980-2000? Procedural justice is concerned with a wide range of questions concerning who (why, how and when) takes part in the policy process. It is these types of concerns that have led to a close linking of procedural justice to the concept of Good Governance, which has been sanctioned by much of the development community. Three research methods were employed: 1) document review (2) in-depth interviews and (3) print media analysis. Data and information coming from USAID, WB, EU and the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) exposed Egypt's HSR via major policy initiatives.

Findings revealed four phases of procedural justice in the policy process, from no recognition of the need for procedural justice to increased awareness but no implementation of GG. Recent years have shown some awareness of GG with partial attempts towards adherence.

Policy recommendations include; the need to develop methods to support capacity building and mobilize stakeholders into the debate, the need to generate and disseminate relevant information to stakeholders, the need to draw up a formalized coherent policy process and guidelines, utilizing the principles of GG, the need to make donor agendas transparent and finally the need to decentralize MOHP activities so that local communities play a significant role in both setting policy and sharing control of the resources.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize and understand the principles of Good Governance and how they apply in a policy process.
• Develop and evaluate indicators of good governance for use in policy analysis.

Keywords: Accountability, Health Care Reform

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.