Abstract
In the broadest sense, the field of the political economy of health examines relationships between socio-economic systems and healthcare performances. A nation’s healthcare system (capitalist-cum-neoliberal, socialist-cum-socialized, or two-tier) has profound implications for the health indicators of any nation. The argument is also in line with the social production of health and illness. Socialist-cum-socialized or capitalist-cum-neoliberal healthcare systems provide a good comparative terrain for those interested in the social production of health, as both types have strengths and weaknesses. In reality, almost no country has a pure socialist or a pure capitalist healthcare system; most systems are mixed, with one type predominant over the other. The debate is still on-going as to which form of healthcare guarantees the best care for the general populations worldwide. Most African countries tend to practice a two-tier health care system, a mix of both public and private provisions of healthcare. The critical question is which healthcare system works best and why. This chapter introduces the readers to the three major patterns of healthcare systems (capitalist-cum-neoliberal, socialist-cum-socialized and mixed systems), describing their strengths and weaknesses.
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Amzat, J., Razum, O. (2018). Healthcare Delivery Systems. In: Towards a Sociology of Health Discourse in Africa. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61672-8_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61672-8_3
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