Health governance and social protection indicators in Latin-America: Strengths, weaknesses and lessons-learned from six Mexican states

Abstract

Objective Evaluative research projects for identifying good practice have been postponed regarding health system reform. This study was thus aimed at identifying health governance and social protection indicators. Methods This study involved evaluative research regarding the health system for the uninsured part of the population in six Mexican states. The primary data was obtained from in-depth interviews with key players from the participating states; official statistics and the results of a macro-project concerned with Mexican health and governance reform and policy was used for secondary. Atlas Ti and Policy Maker software were used for processing and analysing the data. Results A list of strengths and weaknesses was presented as evidence of health system governance. Accountability at federal level (even though not lacking) was of a prescriptive nature and a system of accountability and transparency regarding the assignment of resources and strategies for the democratisation of health in the states and municipalities was still lacking. Conclusions All six states had low levels of governance and experienced difficulty in conducting effective reform programmes and strategies involving a lack of precision regarding the rules and roles adopted by different health system actors.