What happens when a household loses a job, gets hit by flood, or experiences a health emergency? For many families in the region, it’s not just a one-time hardship, it’s part of a repeating pattern. We used data on urban households from Colombia’s Encuesta Longitudinal Colombiana de la Universidad de los Andes (ELCA). This nationally representative panel survey has … [Read more...] about Predictable and Preventable: Designing Protection for Recurring Shocks
Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo
Coaching to Improve Healthcare Quality
Clara Contrera had been thinking for months about how to improve primary care for her patients. She is a general practitioner at the El Rodeo Comprehensive Health Center, located nearly three hours from Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. There, she treats patients of all ages, many of whom live in poverty. With years of experience as a health professional, she recognizes … [Read more...] about Coaching to Improve Healthcare Quality
Saving Lives with Quality Health Services: The Experience of Belize
Chelsea Simms lives in Punta Gorda, a fishing village on the southern Caribbean coast of Belize. She is 25 years old and has just given birth to her second child. The first was delivered by cesarean section. The second almost took her life. In early April, Chelsea began feeling unwell but didn’t recognize the symptoms as signs of labor. Nevertheless, she went to the local … [Read more...] about Saving Lives with Quality Health Services: The Experience of Belize
Health Spending in Latin America and the Caribbean Will Double by 2050: What Can Be Done?
Health spending is a major concern in our region, for households and governments alike. Two recently published studies that were commissioned by the IDB examine how health spending may evolve in the near future, what drives these changes, and what can be done. Health Expenditures Are Growing Fast but Not Equally The first paper projects that health spending will rise … [Read more...] about Health Spending in Latin America and the Caribbean Will Double by 2050: What Can Be Done?
Towards a More Supportive Care Model for Pregnant Women in Mexico
Several countries in Latin America are implementing various programs to improve pregnancy and childbirth care and thus reduce maternal, neonatal, and infant morbidity and mortality. Some examples include Plan Nacer in Argentina (later integrated into Plan Sumar), Rede Cegonha in Brazil, and Código Rojo in Bolivia, all of which have reported positive results. In Mexico, … [Read more...] about Towards a More Supportive Care Model for Pregnant Women in Mexico