Health Policy 2016-2025.

The National Health Policy 2016-2025 is a nation-wide sectoral document aiming to ensure improved health services through the definition of new paradigms for health service delivery, health financing, strategic information, leadership and governance, human resources for health, and access to essential medicines. The Vision at the basis of this document is as follows “A healthy and productive population living a dignified life”. While the consequent Mission is "To improve health status of the people by effective delivery of the Basic Package of Health and Nutrition Services (BPHNS); through provision of health promotion; disease, injury and disability prevention; treatment and rehabilitation services, with full participation of the people".
The overall goal of the Policy is to reach a strengthened national health system with partnerships that overcomes barriers to effective delivery of the BPHNS; and efficiently responds to quality and safety concerns of communities while protecting the people from impoverishment and social risk. To achieve this goal, 3 main strategic objectives are indicated (i) strengthen health service organisation and infrastructure development; (ii) strengthen leadership and management of the health system and increase health system resources; and (iii) strengthen partnerships for healthcare delivery and health systems development.
Successful implementation of the National Health Policy is dependent on following some guiding principles, namely (i) health and health services as a human right; (ii) primary health care approach; (iii) decentralization to increase the responsiveness of the health system to local needs and allow for community participation in health services delivery; (iv) partnership; (v) international Conventions and guidance; (vi) gender sensitive; (vii) community participation; (viii) effectiveness of interventions and efficient use of resources; and (ix) respect for values and cultures.
Since malnutrition, emergencies and disaster are some of the problems that need efforts to improve the health service, the Policy points to a responsive inter-sectoral collaboration that targets individuals, families and communities to take responsibility for the determinants of health, including food security and nutrition, education, poverty, water and sanitation, environmental and climatic conditions, housing, socio-cultural and gender related barriers.
As for the Governance, main improvements in institutional sector will aim at (i) developing a clear long term policy framework that allows leadership to direct, delegate, monitor and control health action; (ii) creating empowered governance committees and boards to support management functions at all levels of the health system; (iii) consolidating decentralization of the health system and improving its organizational structure; and (iv) enforcing partnerships in the health sector.