Neftaly, a professional development and placement organization, faces challenges in attracting experienced policy experts to work with or within public health agencies. This difficulty impacts both the effectiveness of public health policy development and the success of Neftaly’s programs.
2. Potential Causes
a. Perceived Low Compensation in Public Health
Policy experts may prefer roles in private consultancy, academia, or international organizations offering higher salaries and more benefits.
b. Limited Career Advancement in Public Agencies
Public health agencies may lack clear or competitive career progression pathways for policy specialists.
c. Misalignment Between Neftaly Training and Expert Expectations
Neftaly programs may focus on practical or field-level training, which may not appeal to highly specialized policy professionals.
d. Bureaucratic Hiring Processes
Lengthy, rigid government recruitment systems can discourage experts used to more dynamic hiring in the private or NGO sectors.
e. Lack of Visibility or Prestige
Public health roles (especially at the policy level) may not be as visible or prestigious, especially in regions where public health is underfunded or politically marginalized.
3. Consequences
Policy gaps in health system planning and response.
Underutilized training programs if expert mentors or contributors are scarce.
Difficulty in building institutional capacity in evidence-based policymaking.
Loss of credibility or impact for Neftaly programs aimed at systemic health improvement.
4. Strategic Recommendations
a. Partnerships with Academic & Research Institutions
Collaborate with universities or think tanks to bring in policy experts through joint appointments or fellowships.
A mixed-methods study on the usage of Health Economic Evidence (HEE) in South African clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) identified a clear lack of trained health economists, alongside statisticians and other analytical roles. This constraint undermines the ability to conduct or interpret essential evaluations like cost-effectiveness analysis, budget impact assessments, and more PMC.
2. Structural Challenges Beyond Training
Even when trained, health economists often lack relevant roles or career pathways within public sector structures. The same study emphasized that without clarity on the functional role of these analysts, training alone won’t suffice. Embedding economists into decision-making frameworks with defined usage is critical BioMed Central.
3. Fragmented Use of Health Economic Evidence
There is inconsistent use of HEE in policy and guideline development. Many panel members in clinical guideline development settings lack the skill to interpret economic analyses—highlighting both the scarcity of expertise and the underutilization even when availableBioMed Central.
4. Lack of Standardized Data and Reporting
Barriers also include poor availability of clinical and cost data, lack of standardized methodologies, and transparency issues—all of which elevate the need for health economists who can navigate technical and methodological complexities PMC.
What This Means for Planning Departments
Decision-makers are often unequipped to weigh financing constraints, cost-effectiveness, or equity considerations in planning.
Without health economists, policy may rely on anecdote or political expediency rather than evidence-based economic evaluation.
Long-term health system sustainability and resource optimization are therefore weakened.
Establish clear roles for economists in departments like Health, Treasury, and provincial planning teams.
Provide career pathways and mentorship to retain talent in public service.
Develop Frameworks that Demand Economic Insight
Require explicit inclusion of cost-effectiveness and budget impact assessments in guideline and policy development.
Strengthen Data Systems and Methodology Standards
Build registries, standardize costing data collection, and promote open sharing between public and private sectors—making economic modelling more feasible and impactful PMC.
Drive Political and Institutional Buy-in
Advocate for policy demand: define where economic expertise is needed, how analysis informs decisions, and ensure political structures support its use BioMed Central.
Summary Table
Issue
Evidence & Insight
Shortage of health economists
CPG developers lack ability to conduct or interpret HEE; limited numbers trained and embedded PMC
Unclear role and retention
Training exists but without defined functional roles, economists may remain underutilized BioMed Central
Data & methodology gaps
Poor availability of cost data, lack of standardization, transparency issues hamper economic evaluation PMC
Remediation strategies
Education programs, embedding roles in planning units, better data systems, and political alignment needed UCT Health
In Conclusion
The shortage of health economists in planning departments—especially within systems like South Africa’s—is a substantial barrier to evidence-based, economically sound healthcare policy and planning. Real progress requires a coordinated approach: training, integration into decision-making, improved data handling, and institutional support.
Let me know if you’d like to explore specific training programs, design job roles for economists, or develop data infrastructure strategies tailored to your context!Attach
Search
ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info. See Cookie Preferences.
