Enfoque y perspectivas de la planificación de la salud como parte del desarrollo en América Latina

Abstract

In the field of health planning great strides have been made in Latin America through the establishment of planning and evaluation units at the health ministries in some countries, and through PAHO cooperation with the Center of Development Studies of the Central University of Venezuela, for purposes of formulating a health planning methodology, and with the Latin American Institute of Economic and Health Planning of the United Nations for offering training to officials in health planning concepts, methods, and techniques

Considering that industrial development in Latin Amerca is only beginning, that per capita income is low, population growth excessive, and malnutrition and communicable diseases prevail, it is readily understandable that there must be no delay in the formulation of a health policy and in the gradual implementation of health plans

The main decisions in establishing a health policy are as follows: (1) selection of the institutions and resources with which the health sector will operate; (2) the geographic, economic, and social areas to be considered; (3) the population groups to be given preference; (4) the priorities allocated to certain health problems; (5) the reforms to be instituted in service management; and (6) the priority given to present health needs as well as to those anticipated in the future

The following elements are basically important in planning: (a) a fav... (AU)