Relationship between Budget Allocation and Service Delivery in Healthcare Systems in Angola

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between budget allocation and service delivery in healthcare systems in Angola.

Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.

Findings: The study found that adequate budget allocation is crucial for ensuring the effective delivery of healthcare services. Studies consistently show that healthcare systems with sufficient funding tend to perform better in terms of patient outcomes, access to care, and overall quality of services. Furthermore, the allocation of budgets within different areas of healthcare, such as primary care, preventive services, and specialized treatments, has a significant impact on service delivery. For instance, prioritizing funding for primary care and preventive services often leads to better population health outcomes and reduces the burden on hospitals and specialized care facilities. Additionally, there is a growing recognition of the importance of efficient and transparent budget allocation processes. Healthcare systems that involve stakeholders in decision-making, employ evidence-based practices, and regularly evaluate the impact of budget allocations on service delivery are more likely to achieve positive outcomes. However, challenges such as budget constraints, competing priorities, and political factors can affect budget allocation and subsequently impact service delivery. Strategies such as performance-based budgeting, resource pooling, and public-private partnerships have been proposed to address these challenges and optimize the relationship between budget allocation and service delivery in healthcare systems.

Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Resource dependency theory, agency theory and stakeholder theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the relationship between budget allocation and service delivery in healthcare systems in Angola. In terms of practice, it is essential to develop and implement standardized metrics for evaluating the performance of budget allocation strategies in healthcare systems. From a policy perspective, advocating for increased budget transparency and accountability measures is crucial to improving healthcare service delivery and patient satisfaction.