Transforming Health Systems: Case studies of critical health system analyses to support reform

Over the years, the Health Economics Unit (University of Cape Town) and Centre for Health Policy (University of the Witwatersrand) have developed a range of training materials to strengthen critical analysis skills that can support health system reform. One of the case studies considers how national health accounts data can contribute to critically assessing existing health systems to identify key challenges that could potentially be addressed through reforms. The two key areas of health system reform focused on in these training materials are health care financing and decentralisation. These are complemented by case studies on resource allocation between and within health districts. While technical skills are important for health system reform, so are skills to understand and manage key policy actors or stakeholders. The set of materials, therefore, concludes with case studies to develop stakeholder analysis skills.