Press Release

Department of Public Health organized special lecture on Measuring Performance of Health Systems

The Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh (SUB) has organized a special lecture on “Measuring Performance of Health Systems: Critical Review of the WHO Approach” on 3rd March, 2008, Monday at 4.30 P.M. in SUB classroom. The lecture was presented by Prof M. Mahmud Khan, PhD, Professor and Acting Chair, Department of Health Systems Management, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA. Dr. Nawzia Yasmin, Acting Head of the Department of Public Health and Academic Program Director of MPH Programme introduced the Speaker.

The objectives of the presentation was to discuss the important dimensions of evaluating the health system of a country or a region, to identify specific indicators to use for measuring the success of the system and to present results of comparative health system evaluations. The speaker elaborated the critical appraisal of the criteria for evaluating the health systems, aspects of efficiency and financial equity, goals, performance and evaluation of health systems: the WHO approach, methodology of comparison, and health status measures.

Prof Khan also illustrated the best and worst health status countries, DALE values in selected countries, health inequality around the world (based on child survival), responsiveness of the system, fair financing index as well as the performance measures.

A lively discussion graced the program. Audiences included participants from different Universities and national and international NGOs and students of MPH Program. Students were inquisitive regarding dimensions, indicators and results of the critical appraisal while the Speaker responded with examples.

The Program ended with presenting SUB Crest to the Speaker by Prof. Mahmudur Rahman, Advisor, Department of Public Health.