In Word, Not Deed: The Politicization and Decentralization of the National HIV/AIDS Program in the Philippines
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- This year-long project explores the nuances of the Philippine National AIDS/STI Prevention and Control Program (NASPCP) within the context of a decentralized health system. The Philippines, unlike the rest of its Southeast Asian counterparts, has experienced a rapid increase of HIV cases within the last decade. This rising epidemic has mainly been isolated within marginalized and underserved populations such female sex workers (FSWs), males who have sex with males (MSMs), and people who use intravenous drugs (PWID). Nevertheless, the 140 percent increase in cases have also reflected a demographic shift to the young adult cohort, with a serious potential for the epidemic to spill over in the general population. In order to understand the gaps and barriers of the NASPCP in a different perspective, this study employed a mixed methods approach that involved qualitative research coding and a qualitative case study on three specific cities in Metro Manila with high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. This study incorporated the framework of decentralized local decision spaces to better understand the perspectives of those involved in HIV/AIDS care, research, and advocacy. Data analysis revealed the following main themes: (1) tension between national policy and local implementation; (2) local heterogeneity of HIV responses; (3) narrow decision spaces for regional and local public health stakeholders; and (4) interference of national and local politics on the proper flow of resources and information. Overall, the politicization of health and the extent at which the Philippine HIV healthcare system is truly devolved can constrain the comprehensive objectives of the NASPCP. HIV/AIDS is a serious public health and development problem for this developing nation. This study offers specific technical suggestions and research recommendations for those in the field to move forward. This study proposes that when working within HIV/AIDS program implementation and delivery of care, it is necessary to fix certain mechanisms of this decentralized system and seriously consider the role of politics in health.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Date created | May 2019 |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Bumanlag, Isabela |
|---|---|
| Advisor | Eggleston, Karen |
| Degree granting institution | Stanford University, Fisher Family Honors Program in Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law |
Subjects
| Subject | infectious disease |
|---|---|
| Subject | HIV/AIDS |
| Subject | HIV |
| Subject | decentralization |
| Subject | Philippines |
| Subject | health systems |
| Subject | human biology |
| Subject | CDDRL |
| Subject | Center for Democracy |
| Subject | Development |
| Subject | and Rule of Law |
| Genre | Thesis |
Bibliographic information
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- Use and reproduction
- User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
Preferred citation
- Preferred Citation
- Bumanlag, Isabela (2019). In Word, Not Deed: The Politicization and Decentralization of the National HIV/AIDS Program in the Philippines. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at: https://purl.stanford.edu/sh945bw3645
Collection
Stanford University, Fisher Family Honors Program in Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. (CDDRL)
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- Contact
- isabela7@stanford.edu
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