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Health sector reform in Mali, 1989-1996 - TropMed Central Antwerp ...

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Achievements and problems<br />

Declaration of the new national health policy constituted a major event.<br />

For the first time, the government announced measures <strong>in</strong>formed by past<br />

experience and strengthened by debate, with careful attention to the<br />

<strong>Mali</strong>an and African context. 16<br />

The new policy def<strong>in</strong>ed a framework with objectives and strategies<br />

that go well beyond professions of faith. This framework became an<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument for mobiliz<strong>in</strong>g and coord<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>terventions <strong>in</strong> pursuit of a<br />

national ambition. The coherence and clear strategic choices evident <strong>in</strong> the<br />

declaration <strong>in</strong>creased its credibility for donors. The commitment of a<br />

number of pr<strong>in</strong>cipal partners to cof<strong>in</strong>ance the programme made<br />

implementation of the <strong>reform</strong>s a plausible goal. The decennial plan at the<br />

beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of the 1980s did not benefit from such a commitment, and <strong>in</strong><br />

fact, little of it was ever realized.<br />

Genu<strong>in</strong>e enthusiasm was discernible among most of the participants;<br />

it was evident that their motivation was equal to the challenges. The<br />

convergence of views among committed health staff eased the way to<br />

<strong>in</strong>itiatives and concrete actions.<br />

Questions regard<strong>in</strong>g implementation still had to be settled (Table 3).<br />

The important issue of supply of essential drugs was controversial, and <strong>in</strong><br />

particular, the steps needed for the PPM—a quasi-commercial public<br />

enterprise—to assume this task. Everyth<strong>in</strong>g that concerned availability of<br />

essential generic drugs moved slowly. In contrast, transfer of the PPM’s<br />

distribution network to the private <strong>sector</strong> happened remarkably quickly.<br />

Measures needed to create the legal and regulatory environment for new<br />

orientations (e.g., decentralization and community participation) were not<br />

yet <strong>in</strong> place. The means for manag<strong>in</strong>g the transition from a programme-<br />

16 World Bank (1991) Rapport d’évaluation du Projet Santé, Population et Hydraulique<br />

Rurale, République du <strong>Mali</strong>. Report. 204p. Wash<strong>in</strong>gton: World Bank. Koita A, Brunet-Jailly<br />

J, Coulibaly S et al. (<strong>1989</strong>) Recurrent costs <strong>in</strong> the health <strong>sector</strong>. Problems and policy options<br />

<strong>in</strong> three countries (Costa Rica, Jamaica, <strong>Mali</strong>), 45-92. Geneva: World <strong>Health</strong> Organization.<br />

(WHO/SHS/NHP/89.10). Pangu KA (1990) La santé pour tous d’ici l’an 2000, c’est<br />

possible: Expérience de planification et d’implantation des centres de santé dans la zone de<br />

Kasongo au Zaire. Dissertation. Brussels: Université Libre de Bruxelles. 325p. Projet de<br />

Développement Sanitaire du <strong>Mali</strong> (1987) Réflexion sur le système de santé de district.<br />

Work<strong>in</strong>g Paper. Brussels: Projet de Développement Sanitaire du <strong>Mali</strong>, Medicus Mundi<br />

Belgium. UNICEF-<strong>Mali</strong> (<strong>1989</strong>-<strong>1996</strong>) Série de rapports de revues annuelles et à mi-parcours<br />

et notes techniques. Bamako: UNICEF.<br />

Studies <strong>in</strong> HSO&P,20,2003 15

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