The quest for health care decentralization: revisiting decree 159

Abstract

Many developing countries have at some point in their quest for health reform considered decentralization as a strategy. A search of Lebanese health policy texts revealed a call for some form of decentralization in the mid eighties through Decree 159. This paper highlights the experience of health centers in Lebanon and discusses the importance of implementing an incremental decentralization of the system by highlighting the importance of ensuring political commitment as well as building the capacity of administrative and clinical staff as prerequisites for the implementation of a fully decentralized system.

Citation

Kassak, K.M., Ali, A.M., Tauk, M. and Abdallah, A.M. (2008), "The quest for health care decentralization: revisiting decree 159", Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 22-36. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBAFM-20-01-2008-B002