INTEGRATED HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY: WHY AND HOW?

Integrated service delivery is an approach of combining services of multiple interrelated diseases to increase overall efficiency of the health system and patient convenience. Experiences across the globe have demonstrated benefits from integration of health services. Capacity building, sensitization, ownership, and commitment among stakeholders and up-gradation of health system are keys to success in delivering integrated services. However, integration is challenging and has no one-size-fits-all strategy. Chronic problems of health system related to human resource, infrastructure and supply chain management hinder integration.