Health care and level of delivery system

Health care system 

is a system which consists of all organizations, people and actions whose primary intent is to promote, restore or maintain health, (Source WHO 2005).

 Goals of Health Care System

     i. To promote universal health care

     ii. To ensure that all people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them.

     iii. To ensure good health for the citizens

    Levels of Health Care Delivery System

The organization structure includes five levels as follows:

National Level: 

(The central level), is the Ministry of Health and social Welfare

Regional Level: 

This level sometimes referred to as an extension of the MOH. It has the regional secretariat and one hospital in the region.

District hospital level: 

The district is the focal point for the implementation of the national health policy managed by the local authorities.

Divisional Level: 

This consist of a health Centre which provides both curative and preventive

Ward Level: 

This is the lowest level (dispensary) of the formal health care delivery system

    Referral System in Health Care Delivery

    Referral System is an organizational structure for coordinating, linking, & transferring responsibility of care.

    May be done by:

     o     a generalist to a specialist

     o     a specialist to a specialist

     o     one hospital to another

Government’s referral system assumes a pyramidal pattern of a referral system recommended by health planners that is from dispensary to Consultant Hospital (Better Health In Africa,)