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Health Stewardship and Regulation in Vietnam, India and China (HESVIC)

HESVIC was a 3½ year research project investigating how regulation affects equitable access to quality maternal health care through a comparative study of three Asian countries – Vietnam, India and China. The project was implemented under the European Community 7th Framework Programme.

Recommendations for regulation of maternal health services

The HESVIC research systematically assessed the effects of health regulation on equity, accessibility and quality of maternal health care  in the three study countries – Vietnam, India and China. HESVIC used a multidisciplinary case study approach to study the effects of selected regulations in maternal health, specifically on emergency obstetric care (EMOC), antenatal care, abortion, and grievance redressal.

Over the life-time of the project, the HESVIC consortium:

Based on the research, recommendations were made for improving the quality of regulation in relation to equitable maternal health services. For each research country, specific policy recommendations were made for national standards and recommendations for actors (such as policy makers and members of professional and users’ associations). Also, specially tailored materials were developed for each country, such as policy guides for national and international health policy-makers.

The project was carried out by a consortium of six partners (see right-hand column), in which KIT led on capacity building and knowledge management.

Services delivered

  • Applied research

    KIT Royal Tropical Institute addresses development challenges at local, regional and global levels through research that generates new insights and knowledge in our areas of expertise: health, sustainable economic development and gender.

  • Knowledge management

    Development and research organisations are often so focused on achieving their objectives that they find it difficult to create time to look back, analyse and learn from what they experienced and share their results.

  • Policy & Programme Design

    KIT operates at the intersection of theory and practice and between policy and implementation, translating good intentions into meaningful social and economic impact. Our professional staff combine expertise in specific content areas with the ability to offer a diverse suite of advisory services, including policy and programme design and implementation. This experience enables our advisors to navigate sustainable development processes and identify elements that can make a difference in programme performance. We help governments, organisations and businesses to learn from their experiences, improve practice, and maximize the impact of their interventions. With the knowledge we share, public and private investors are better equipped to identify the investments that yield highest economic and social impact.