Policy - Standards for Health Services

8.1.5 Policy - Standards for Health Services

The response from health respondents to their similar question on basic standards of service was a little more varied than the education responses. The question asked if it was mandatory to offer sexual health information, referral and counseling services. 33.3% of health ministries said yes and an additional 16.7% said that they were required to in part.

Figure 18

Require or mandate sexual health services

Yes

No

In Part

Don’t Know

No

Response
MOH - 21

33.3

33.3

16.7

16.7
PHU - 17c

58.9

30.6

10.5

0.0
PHU - 18

78.5

13.4

6.0

0.0

2.1
PHN - 16

87.8

5.0

5.0

1.5

0.7

Policy leadership appears to be stronger at the local level in the public health system.

Three-quarters (MOH-23) of health ministries reported that they have published standards on the minimum level of health services. Only 25% of health ministries (MOH-24) had stipulated a ratio of PHNs to the youth population or schools. An additional 8.3% said that they did so in part.

One half (53.2%) of public health units (PHU-11p) reported that they regularly issued guidelines on the role of PHNs in schools. About the same proportion (PHU-11b) 56.8% said that they promoted model programs, policies, services and activities.                                                                                                                                                        Table of Contents