Skip to main content
Download PDF
Download ePub

Engagement of non-governmental organisations in moving towards universal health coverage: a scoping review

Globalization and Health volume 17, Article number: 129 (2021) Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Developing essential health services through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is an important strategy for progressing towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), especially in low- and middle-income countries. It is crucial to understand NGOs’ role in reaching UHC and the best way to engage them.

Objective

This study reviewed the role of NGOs and their engagement strategies in progress toward UHC.

Method

We systematically reviewed studies from five databases (PubMed, Web of Science (ISI), ProQuest, EMBASE and Scopus) that investigated NGOs interventions in public health-related activities. The quality of the selected studies was assessed using the mixed methods appraisal tool. PRISMA reporting guidelines were followed.

Findings

Seventy-eight studies met the eligibility criteria. NGOs main activities related to service and population coverage and used different strategies to progress towards UHC. To ensure services coverage, NGOs provided adequate and competent human resources, necessary health equipment and facilities, and provided public health and health care services strategies. To achieve population coverage, they provided services to vulnerable groups through community participation. Most studies were conducted in middle-income countries. Overall, the quality of the reported evidence was good. The main funding sources of NGOs were self-financing and grants from the government, international organisations, and donors.

Conclusion

NGOs can play a significant role in the country’s progress towards UHC along with the government and other key health players. The government should use strategies and interventions in supporting NGOs, accelerating their movement toward UHC.

Background

Health systems must be sufficiently efficient in population, service and financial coverage to achieve sustainable Universal Health Coverage (UHC) [1]. Much of the health policy debate currently focuses on achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, essential for UHC. Progress towards UHC is one of the essential tools for improving health and well-being in the coming years [2]. According to WHO, UHC means that all people have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It includes the full range of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care [3].

However, despite injecting financial resources into health systems, many counties still face difficulties in progress towards UHC and did not provide preventive and curative health care services [4,5,6,7,8,9]. In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the challenge of adequate provision of quality care to all who needs it becomes even more apparent, as all available human resources for health (both public and private) are required to achieve this goal. However, it is time to change how we look and think about health issues and health services provision if we want to achieve health attainment and well-being for all [2].

Given the inclusion of UHC in global health programs, new attention has been paid to heterogeneous groups of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in health services provision and how they can help achieve public health goals. The term “NGO” usually refers to any non-profit voluntary group of global citizens who work locally, nationally and internationally for various cultural, social, charitable, and professional purposes [10]. Different alternative terms can describe NGOs, including voluntary, non-profit, grassroots organisations, and local groups. However, regardless of the term used, at the heart of civil society, NGOs are recognised as one of the most important and best tools for dealing with global issues such as the environment, peace and poverty [11, 12].

NGO’s role in the health sector has also changed in recent years, and significant emphasis has been placed on NGO contracts for service delivery [13]. In LMICs, NGOs play a significant role in financing and providing health care services, and the use of NGOs in advancing public health goals is increasingly common [14]. In some areas, NGOs seem to be the best tool for developing essential health services and are part of the strategy to achieve UHC [15]. NGOs are uniquely committed to providing health services in sparsely populated areas globally, mainly through their active participation in providing health services directly through the ancillary factors of supply [16]. Many governments partnered with NGOs, recognising their significant and often dominant role in providing health services in LMICs [15, 17,18,19]. Proponents of formal government interaction with NGOs argue that they operate extensively, even in remote and rural areas, and are more accountable than their public-sector counterparts [14]. Governments can also hold NGOs responsible for adhering to standards and achieving results, improving their service quality [20].

There are transparent and established links between governments and NGOs in many countries, while their relationship is ambiguous in others. This uncertainty can have adverse effects for both NGOs and governments, leading to service duplication and competition. Overall, there is mixed evidence regarding NGOs’ participation in health services provision in LMICs, their impact on the quality of service, and related direct out-of-pocket costs, ranging from positive to mild or weak effects [21,22,23,24]. Hence, this study aimed to review NGOs’ role and their engagement strategies in moving toward UHC.

Methods

Our scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol, an extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) (shown in Appendix S1) [25]. Our primary research question was “What is the role of NGOs in achieving the goals of UHC in various contexts?”. More specifically, we focused on the role of NGOs in moving towards UHC based on the three dimensions (population, service and financial coverage) and engagement strategies they used to achieve the goal.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

We included studies that investigated NGOs interventions in public health-related activities and UHC. The language of publications was restricted to English, and there was no time limit. Summaries, posters, letters to the editor, reviews, commentaries and opinion pieces were included in the review.

Data sources and search

We searched five databases (PubMed, Web of Science (ISI), ProQuest, EMBASE and Scopus) from December 2019 to August 2020. To ensure the literature review’s comprehensiveness, we manually searched for references in the included articles. The complete search strategy can be found in Appendix S2.

Study selection and data extraction

Results from the bibliographic databases were merged, and duplicates were removed. Two reviewers (LD and AS) independently screened the search results by title, abstract and full text. Disagreements were resolved by discussion and consensus. We extracted the following information from the studies included in the review, i.e., first author, country and date, study type and design, data collection method, quality appraisal, intervention(s), and NGOs’ role based on the UHC cube dimensions. Relevant information from retrieved articles was extracted for a narrative synthesis by both reviewers.

Quality appraisal

The quality of the selected papers was assessed using the mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) [26]. The MMAT is effective as it is designed to appraise the most common types of empirical studies, including qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies [27]. The MMAT is based on constructionist theory and has already been used by more than 100 systematic mixed study reviews. Two researchers (LD, AS) independently appraised the included studies using MMAT. The differences in the researchers’ appraisals were resolved by discussion (more details in Appendix S3).

Synthesis of results

We synthesised results using directed content analysis and categorised findings based on the UHC cube’s dimensions (i.e., population, service and financial coverage). Identified items were coded into sub-themes using deductive reasoning. The primary categorisation of recommended codes was determined using available research concerning NGOs’ engagement in moving toward UHC.

Results

Selection of sources of evidence

The results of the screening process are shown in Fig. 1. Of 7540 studies, 5514 studies were screened by title and abstract for possible inclusion in the review. The full text of 484 articles was obtained and assessed for eligibility. An additional five studies were identified through manual search. Seventy-five studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final review. The main reasons for exclusion were a lack of focus in studies on relevant UHC dimensions, which focused on interventions not related to the health system.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Study selection flow

Full size image

Characteristics of sources of evidence

Studies were conducted in 51 countries and five regions (Eastern and Central Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America). Four studies were conducted in high-income countries, ten in upper-middle-income countries, 19 in LMICs, and 18 in low-income countries (Table 1).

Table 1 Study characteristics
Full size table

Synthesis of results

Based on the three dimensions of the UHC cube (population, service and financial coverage), eight sub-themes related to NGOs’ participation and strategies in achieving UHC were identified (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2
figure 2

Themes and sub-themes based on the three dimensions of UHC

Full size image

Services coverage

One of the factors influencing NGOs’ participation in achieving UHC is service coverage. NGOs ensured service coverage by providing necessary equipment and health facilities, human resources, and public health and health care services. All 75 studies focused on NGOs’ services coverage [28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102], of which 22 studies were related to human resources, 27 studies focused on health equipment and facilities, and 68 studies related to public health or health care services as strategies for NGOs engagement.

Population coverage

In many countries, the poor still have limited access to basic health care. NGOs increased population access to health services, particularly for vulnerable and poor or people with a specific disease, by using strategies and interventions through community participation. Seventy-tree studies focused on population coverage [29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102] by NGO’s participation. Out of this, 18 focused on population coverage through community participation, and 69 studies explicitly related to service provision for vulnerable and poor or patients with a specific disease.

Financial coverage

Protecting people from financial hardship was implemented by supporting them through several strategies, including free or low-cost health care services provision, implementing insurance plans or providing subsidies or loans. Twenty-nine studies focused on the third dimension of UHC, the financial coverage [30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96]. Of these studies, 21 stated that NGOs provided free services, and three reported that NGOs provided insurance plans. Seven studies focused on NGOs offering to subside or provide loans to their covered population. The detailed findings of all included studies are presented in Table 2.

Table 2 NGOs participation based on the UHC cube and NGOs financing source
Full size table

Critical appraisal within sources of evidence

The research included 32 qualitative, 29 quantitative, and ten mixed methods studies. Table 3 displays the MMAT quality scores of each included study. Quality appraisal was not done for four papers (three papers were narrative reviews and one paper was a commentary).

Table 3 Study design and methodological appraisal scores of included records
Full size table

Discussion

We systematically reviewed studies that explored the role of NGOs and their engagement strategies in moving toward UHC. Based on our findings, NGOs have tried to fill in the gaps in health services provision for years. They are increasingly stepping up as healthcare providers, pursuing similar goals, but the government’s inefficiency and resource constraints limit their participation [43]. We discuss our main findings using the UHC cube dimensions.

Service coverage

NGOs provided qualified personnel for health care services and used a combination of external and internal incentives (including non-financial incentives) to motivate their employees. For example, it was shown that the decision-making, organisational vision, mission and strategy, skills and abilities of NGOs staff positively affect NGOs’ productivity in providing health services [28, 31, 103, 104]. NGOs have improved and promoted the health of their communities through the establishment of primary health centres, laboratory service, training community health workers to screen for and manage chronic hypertension, providing maternal and newborn health services, providing medical services for children with cancers, providing mental health services through community-based rehabilitation, prevention and treatment groups received growth monitoring, referrals to public health facilities, home-based counselling and providing mid-day meals for primary school students and adolescents [34, 51, 70, 71, 74, 91, 93, 95, 96, 99]. For example, in Bangladesh, NGOs provided clinical education, vaccination, reproductive health (antenatal and postnatal care, skilled birth attendance, breastfeeding prevalence, contraceptive prevalence, sexually transmitted infections), child and infants health services (child diarrhoea), acute respiratory infection and HIV/AIDS awareness [29, 35, 36, 47]. In India, an NGO was contracted to deliver basic health services, including simple curative care, referral for more complex cases, identification and registration of pregnant women, perinatal care, referral for a complicated pregnancy or high-risk births, essential child health care, assistance with immunisation and other national programmes, and the conduct of health camps for outreach and health education provided [45].

Many NGOs offer a wide range of HIV/AIDS-related services. For example, in Central and Eastern Europe, NGO programs often targeted injecting drug users, and activities included needle exchange, HIV prevention education, services for people with AIDS, and the distribution of educational materials [30, 64]. In Uganda, NGOs provided health services such as educational materials, peer education, experimental drugs, counselling and healthcare to people with AIDS [31, 65]. In Ethiopia, Kenya and Mozambique, NGOs provided HIV/AIDS health services in clinics, raised HIV/AIDS awareness, participated in HIV/AIDS prevention, ensured access to HIV healthcare services, and provided treatment [34, 79]. NGOs provided clinical and family planning services in India, organised health awareness camps, and campaigned for immunisation and HIV/AIDS awareness [105].

Population coverage

In many countries, the poor still have limited access to essential health care, and NGOs are increasing access to health services because of their ability to design population-based projects. NGOs are also in a position to implement prevention programs with the potential to reach vulnerable social populations, and the use of innovative approaches such as the caregiver approach can be a promising alternative to existing strategies to provide critical health care to disadvantaged communities [29, 30, 32, 56]. NGOs have sought to fill a gap in the Pakistani public sector due to a lack of healthcare providers’ access. East Timor and Sudan are examples of post-crisis countries in which NGOs efforts in the first place to assist the affected people were vital. In Bangladesh, NGO partnerships with the government have resulted in relatively high coverage for reproductive and child health services and reduced infant and child mortality. The main focus of NGOs in Italy was mainly on the homeless and immigrants, including immigrant and indigenous homeless, irregular immigrants, undocumented migrants and migrant populations with HIV/AIDS [28, 32, 33, 35, 37, 66, 78, 106].

Community mobilisation is a factor that increases the positive impact of prevention programs, such as HIV. NGOs that manage health care facilities and created health care projects made significant efforts to involve the community in providing health care. NGOs involved members of at-risk communities in the social activities of the community [28, 30]. Using social networks to reach men who have sex with men, they connected more significant numbers of the population to effective HIV interventions, which will improve health outcomes and the success of Ugandan AIDS/HIV NGOs public projects that largely depends on the NGO network [31, 46].

Overall, NGOs’ strengths can be found in their desire to provide quality service and service in relatively remote areas. Establishing NGOs in LMICs with complex medical procedures, such as hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, is also essential for disadvantaged populations [40, 107]. Even those without health expertise and limited resources can effectively promote and facilitate community participation in health centre management. Such NGOs’ roles are critically important for sustainable health development and should be further recognised and supported [60]. Strengthening community capacity as community mobilisation can help increase awareness, demand and utilisation of health services and local people’s involvement in project planning, implementation, and evaluation [31, 54].

Financial coverage

UHC is a key priority set out by the WHO and the United Nations General Assembly [108, 109]. Social health insurance (SHI) schemes, one mechanism to achieve UHC, has become increasingly crucial in LMICs as they work to achieve this goal. To ensure comprehensive health insurance coverage for a broad population at a reasonable cost, SHI schemes are generally designed so that individuals pay into a central fund, either indirectly through taxes or directly through wage-based contributions, and receive a set package of subsidised health services through accredited providers [108, 110, 111]. However, because specific populations cannot afford any financial contribution through taxes or direct payments, many countries created hybrid SHI systems in which government funds cover these population groups [112].

Reducing health costs is one of the most critical dimensions of UHC, and NGOs can reduce the poor’s financial burden through their programs [40, 50]. For example, the participation of NGOs in Indian health insurance schemes stems from the following reasons. First, in India, private spending is about two-thirds of health care costs. Second, the quality of available health care for the Indian people is poor. Third, India’s health insurance coverage is limited, especially among those working outside the formal sector [39]. Using new strategies (e.g., telephone communication in palliative care) can reduce patients’ financial problems. NGOs can help patients through drug subsidies and chemotherapy in very costly diseases such as hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. In India, an NGO organised all community health insurance (CHI) schemes which increased access to health care and reduced out-of-pocket payments [75]. In Sudan, NGOs provided free vaccinations to children. In Bangladesh, NGOs established accessible toilets or provided loans in rural areas to improve their health. In Italy, NGOs providing free health care to irregular immigrants [42, 63, 66].

Overall, NGOs need sustained financial support to implement their plans and programs. A decentralised approach to a country’s political structure can lead to NGOs’ financial stability and productive cooperation between NGOs and the government [44, 53]. NGOs can provide financial resources themselves using a variety of strategies, including international and charitable foundations, international aid organisations, local government, foreign governments, business activity, tax exemptions, tax subsidies, and donors [28, 30, 31, 33, 40, 43,44,45,46, 48, 53, 113, 114]. In countries where HIV/AIDS prevention NGOs are active, but extensive national government financial support is lacking, NGOs’ secured funding and resources enabled access to prevention, treatment, and improved HIV care [30, 46]. However, not all NGOs successfully reach their goals, especially when they face a two-track problem of building efficient service delivery to meet current needs and taking on the long-term state-building tasks that assist in establishing durable, local delivery systems, especially when such mechanisms are lacking [115].

Limitations

Due to the subject’s extent, our study was limited to published papers only and excluded grey literature, which could limit our review’s scope. Nonetheless, we accessed the quality of published studies and included all types of studies (i.e., qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods), which allowed for a comprehensive overview.

Conclusion

Significant reforms in the health system are needed to achieve UHC, but governments cannot do it alone. Accounting for possible strengths and capabilities of NGOs and sharing their resources is a potential way to reach UHC. Despite the critical role of NGOs in health services delivery, relatively little is still known about how they can engage these organisations to achieve UHC goals. NGOs could play a pivotal role in moving towards UHC alongside the government and other groups or organisations. Understanding NGOs’ role and contributing to attaining UHC is critical, especially in the local context. Governments need to consider systematic and fundamental strategies for engaging NGOs towards public health goals to move towards UHC. Given the creation and expansion of health services and global attention to UHC, NGOs’ presence can improve financial support and improve the status of services provided to the poor and marginalised areas.

Availability of data and materials

The data are openly available upon request from the corresponding author.

References

  1. Vega J. Universal health coverage: the post-2015 development agenda. Lancet. 2013;381(9862):179–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60062-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Kleinert S, Horton R. From universal health coverage to right care for health. Lancet. 2017;390:101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. World Health Organization. Universal Health Coverage. Access in https://www.who.int/health-topics/universal-health-coverage#tab=tab_1. Access date: 10 Sept 2021.

  4. Laokri S, Weil O, Drabo KM, Dembelé SM, Kafando B, Dujardin B. Removal of user fees no guarantee of universal health coverage: observations from Burkina Faso. Bull World Health Organ. 2013;91(4):277–82. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.12.110015.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Pannarunothai S, Patmasiriwat D, Srithamrongsawat S. Universal health coverage in Thailand: ideas for reform and policy struggling. Health Policy. 2004;68(1):17–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-8510(03)00024-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Reeves A, McKee M, Stuckler D. The attack on universal health coverage in Europe: recession, austerity and unmet needs. Eur J Pub Health. 2015;25(3):364–5. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckv040.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tangcharoensathien V, Patcharanarumol W, Ir P, Aljunid SM, Mukti AG, Akkhavong K, et al. Health-financing reforms in Southeast Asia: challenges in achieving universal coverage. Lancet. 2011;377(9768):863–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61890-9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Saleh SS, Alameddine MS, Natafgi NM, Mataria A, Sabri B, Nasher J, et al. The path towards universal health coverage in the Arab uprising countries Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. Lancet. 2014;383(9914):368–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62339-9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Wang J-Y, Wang C-Y, Juang S-Y, Huang K-Y, Chou P, Chen C-W, et al. Low socioeconomic status increases short-term mortality of acute myocardial infarction despite universal health coverage. Int J Cardiol. 2014;172(1):82–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.12.082.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Zahedi M. The role of NGOs in sustainable development. Tehran: Maziar [In Persian]; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Pazhoh G. Handbook for NGOs. 1st ed; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Fox JA, Fox JA, Brown LD. The struggle for accountability: the World Bank, NGOs, and grassroots movements. California: MIT press; 1998. https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mtp:titles:0262561174.

  13. Perrot J. Different approaches to contracting in health systems. Bull World Health Organ. 2006;84(11):859–66.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Whyle EB, Olivier J. Models of public-private engagement for health services delivery and financing in southern Africa: a systematic review. Health Policy Plan. 2016;31(10):1515–29. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czw075.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lepine A, Chandrashekar S, Shetty G, Vickerman P, Bradley J, Alary M, et al. What determines HIV prevention costs at scale? Evidence from the Avahan Programme in India. Health Econ. 2016;25(Suppl 1):67–82. https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.3296.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Olson G. Civil society: an essential partner for universal health coverage; 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Kitutu FE, Mayora C, Johansson EW, Peterson S, Wamani H, Bigdeli M, et al. Health system effects of implementing integrated community case management (iCCM) intervention in private retail drug shops in South Western Uganda: a qualitative study. BMJ Glob Health. 2017;2(Suppl 3):e000334. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000334.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Lagarde M, Palmer N. The impact of contracting out on health outcomes and use of health services in low and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(4):CD008133. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008133.

  19. Peters DH, Mirchandani GG, Hansen PM. Strategies for engaging the private sector in sexual and reproductive health: how effective are they? Health Policy Plan. 2004;19(Suppl 1):i5–i21. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czh041.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Rao KD, Paina L, Ingabire M-G, Shroff ZC. Contracting non-state providers for universal health coverage: learnings from Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Int J Equity Health. 2018;17(1):127. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-018-0846-5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Odendaal WA, Ward K, Uneke J, Uro-Chukwu H, Chitama D, Balakrishna Y, et al. Contracting out to improve the use of clinical health services and health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;4:Cd008133. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007136.pub2.

  22. Koehlmoos TP, Gazi R, Hossain SS, Zaman K. The effect of social franchising on access to and quality of health services in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(1):Cd007136.

  23. Shah NM, Brieger WR, Peters DH. Can interventions improve health services from informal private providers in low and middle-income countries?: a comprehensive review of the literature. Health Policy Plan. 2011;26(4):275–87. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czq074.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Loevinsohn B, Harding A. Buying results? Contracting for health service delivery in developing countries. Lancet. 2005;366(9486):676–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67140-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O’Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, et al. PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169(7):467–73. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hong QN, Pluye P, Fàbregues S, Bartlett G, Boardman F, Cargo M, et al. Mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT), version 2018. Registration of copyright; 2018. p. 1148552.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Stretton T, Cochrane T, Narayan V. Exploring mobile mixed reality in healthcare higher education: a systematic review. Res Learn Technol. 2018;26:2131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Yagub AI, Mtshali K. The role of non-governmental organisations in providing curative health services in North Darfur state, Sudan. Afr Health Sci. 2015;15(3):1049–55. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v15i3.48.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Albis MLF, Bhadra SK, Chin B. Impact evaluation of contracting primary health care services in urban Bangladesh. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019;19(1):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4406-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Amirkhanian YA, Kelly J, Benotsch EG, Somlai AM, Brown KD, Opgenorth K. HIV prevention nongovernmental organisations in central and Eastern Europe: programs, resources and challenges. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2004;12(1):12–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Bechange S. Retracted: determinants of project success among HIV/AIDS nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in Rakai, Uganda. Int J Health Plann Manag. 2010;25(3):215–30. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.1025.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ejaz I, Shaikh BT, Rizvi N. NGOs and government partnership for health systems strengthening: a qualitative study presenting viewpoints of government, NGOs and donors in Pakistan. BMC Health Serv Res. 2011;11(1):1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-11-122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Mercer MA, Thompson SM, De Araujo RM. The role of international NGOs in health systems strengthening: the case of timor-leste. Int J Health Serv. 2014;44(2):323–35. https://doi.org/10.2190/HS.44.2.i.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Wamai RG. Reforming health systems: the role of NGOs in decentralisation–lessons from Kenya and Ethiopia. Baltimore: International society for thirdsector research; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Mercer A, Khan MH, Daulatuzzaman M, Reid J. Effectiveness of an NGO primary health care programme in rural Bangladesh: evidence from the management information system. Health Policy Plan. 2004;19(4):187–98. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czh024.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Mercer A, Uddin N, Huq NL, Haseen F, Khan MH, Larson CP. Validating neonatal mortality and use of NGO reproductive health outreach services in rural Bangladesh. Stud Fam Plan. 2006;37(2):111–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1728-4465.2006.00090.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. De Maio G, Van den Bergh R, Garelli S, Maccagno B, Raddi F, Stefanizzi A, et al. Reaching out to the forgotten: providing access to medical care for the homeless in Italy. Int Health. 2014;6(2):93–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihu002.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. De Souza R. Creating “communicative spaces”: a case of NGO community organising for HIV/AIDS prevention. Health Commun. 2009;24(8):692–702. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410230903264006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Dhingra R. NGOs and health insurance schemes in India. Health Popul Perspect Issues. 2001;24(4):206–17.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Rivera Franco MM, Leon RE. Importance of nongovernmental organisations for the establishment of a successful hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation program in a developing country. J Glob Oncol. 2018;4:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1200/JGO.17.00091.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Gellert GA. Non-governmental organisations in international health: past successes, future challenges. Int J Health Plann Manag. 1996;11(1):19–31. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1751(199601)11:1<19::AID-HPM412>3.0.CO;2-#.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Ghosh S, Karim F, Ali A, Arif T, editors. The role of NGOs in improving sanitation status in the rural areas of Bangladesh: challenges and expectations. Loughborough: 35th WEDC International Conference; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Gilson L, Sen PD, Mohammed S, Mujinja P. The potential of health sector non-governmental organisations: policy options. Health Policy Plan. 1994;9(1):14–24. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/9.1.14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Gómez-Jauregui J. The feasibility of government partnerships with NGOs in the reproductive health field in Mexico. Reprod Health Matters. 2004;12(24):42–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(04)24146-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Heard A, Awasthi MK, Ali J, Shukla N, Forsberg BC. Predicting performance in contracting of basic health care to NGOs: experience from large-scale contracting in Uttar Pradesh, India. Health Policy Plan. 2011;26(suppl_1):i13–i9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Holland CE, Papworth E, Billong SC, Kassegne S, Petitbon F, Mondoleba V, et al. Access to HIV services at non-governmental and community-based organisations among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Cameroon: an integrated biological and behavioral surveillance analysis. PLoS One. 2015;10(4):e0122881. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0122881.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Khan JA, Ahmed S, MacLennan M, Sarker AR, Sultana M, Rahman H. Benefit incidence analysis of healthcare in Bangladesh–equity matters for universal health coverage. Health Policy Plan. 2017;32(3):359–65. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czw131.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Khodayari-Zarnaq R, Kakemam E, Arab-Zozani M, Rasouli J, Sokhanvar M. Participation of Iranian non-governmental organisations in health policy-making; barriers and strategies for development. Int J Health Governance. 2020;25(1):46–56. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHG-07-2019-0056.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Maclure R. Primary health care and donor dependency: a case study of nongovernment assistance in Burkina Faso. Int J Health Serv. 1995;25(3):539–58. https://doi.org/10.2190/X4E7-P8LN-3NHR-B6GF.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Mandal N. Telephonic communication in palliative care for better management of terminal cancer patients in rural India: An NGO based approach. Ann Oncol. 2019;30:ix144–ix5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Mehta P, Sharma S, Shah R, Holey B, Makwana G, Sharma R, et al. Improvement in paediatric cancer survival in a developing country through collaboration with non governmental organizations. Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. 2013;29(4):331.

  52. Momoh GT, Oluwasanu MM, Oduola OL, Delano GE, Ladipo OA. Outcome of a reproductive health advocacy mentoring intervention for staff of selected non-governmental organisations in Nigeria. BMC Health Serv Res. 2015;15(1):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-015-0975-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Mugisha F, Birungi H, Askew I. Are reproductive health NGOs in Uganda able to engage in the health SWAp? Int J Health Plann Manag. 2005;20(3):227–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Mukherjee S, Rashmi C. NGOs role in community–based monitoring of primary health care services for Dalit women in urban slums. Rupkatha J Interdiscip Stud Humanit. 2017;9(1):250–62. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v9n1.26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Nguyen N, Jacobs JP, Dearani JA, Weinstein S, Novick WM, Jacobs ML, et al. Survey of nongovernmental organisations providing pediatric cardiovascular care in low-and middle-income countries. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2014;5(2):248–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150135113514458.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  56. Perry H, Morrow M, Borger S, Weiss J, DeCoster M, Davis T, et al. Care groups I: an innovative community-based strategy for improving maternal, neonatal, and child health in resource-constrained settings. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2015;3(3):358–69.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. Perry H, Morrow M, Davis T, Borger S, Weiss J, DeCoster M, et al. Care groups II: a summary of the child survival outcomes achieved using volunteer community health workers in resource-constrained settings. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2015;3(3):370–81.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  58. Piotrowicz M, Cianciara D. The role of non-governmental organizations in the social and the health system. Przegl Epidemiol. 2013;67(1):69–74, 151.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Ricca J, Kureshy N, LeBan K, Prosnitz D, Ryan L. Community-based intervention packages facilitated by NGOs demonstrate plausible evidence for child mortality impact. Health Policy Plan. 2014;29(2):204–16. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czt005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Ui S, Heng L, Yatsuya H, Kawaguichi L, Akashi H, Aoyana A. Strengthening community participation at health centers in rural Cambodia: role of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Crit Public Health. 2010;20(1):97–115. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581590902829173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Wu FS. International non-governmental actors in HIV/AIDS prevention in China. Cell Res. 2005;15(11):919–22. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cr.7290369.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Abdelmoneium AO. Policy and practice: non-governmental organisations and the health delivery system for displaced children in Khartoum, Sudan. Child Abuse Rev. 2010;19(3):203–17. https://doi.org/10.1002/car.1081.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Ahmed N, DeRoeck D, Sadr-Azodi N. Private sector engagement and contributions to immunisation service delivery and coverage in Sudan. BMJ Glob Health. 2019;4(2):e001414. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001414.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  64. Kelly JA, Somlai AM, Benotsch EG, Amirkhanian YA, Fernandez MI, Stevenson L, et al. Programmes, resources, and needs of HIV-prevention nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in Africa, Central/Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. AIDS Care. 2006;18(1):12–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540120500101757.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  65. Mercer M, Liskin L, Scott S. The role of non-governmental organisations in the global response to AIDS. AIDS Care. 1991;3(3):265–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540129108253072.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Ambrosini M. NGOs and health services for irregular immigrants in Italy: when the protection of human rights challenges the laws. J Immigr Refug Stud. 2015;13(2):116–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2015.1017631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Ament JD, Greene KR, Flores I, Capobianco F, Salas G, Uriona MI, et al. Health impact and economic analysis of NGO-supported neurosurgery in Bolivia. J Neurosurg Spine. 2014;20(4):436–42. https://doi.org/10.3171/2014.1.SPINE1228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Andrade M, Santos T, Andrade L, Oliveira M, Gomes K, Araujo C, et al. Reduction of breast cancer treatment delay as a result of efforts carried out by two Brazilian NGOs. Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2018;4:Supplement 2, 39s-39s.

  69. Bader F, Sinha R, Leigh J, Goyal N, Andrews A, Valeeva N, et al. Psychosocial health in displaced Iraqi care-seekers in non-governmental organisation clinics in Amman, Jordan: an unmet need. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2009;24(4):312–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X00007032.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Baig M, Panda B, Das JK, Chauhan AS. Is public private partnership an effective alternative to government in the provision of primary health care? A case study in Odisha. J Health Manag. 2014;16(1):41–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972063413518679.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Baqui AH, Rosecrans AM, Williams EK, Agrawal PK, Ahmed S, Darmstadt GL, et al. NGO facilitation of a government community-based maternal and neonatal health programme in rural India: improvements in equity. Health Policy Plan. 2008;23(4):234–43. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czn012.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Barzin Y. The role of NGOs in rural Vietnam: a case study and critique. In: Barzin Y, editor. BMC Proceedings; London: Vol. 6, Iss. Suppl 4, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-6561-6-S4-P54.

  73. Cancedda C, Davis SM, Dierberg KL, Lascher J, Kelly JD, Barrie MB, et al. Strengthening health systems while responding to a health crisis: lessons learned by a nongovernmental organisation during the Ebola virus disease epidemic in Sierra Leone. J Infect Dis. 2016;214(suppl_3):S153–S63.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  74. Chanani S, Waingankar A, Shah More N, Pantvaidya S, Fernandez A, Jayaraman A. Effectiveness of NGO-government partnership to prevent and treat child wasting in urban India. Matern Child Nutr. 2019;15:e12706. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12706.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  75. Devadasan, N., Criel, B., Van Damme, W. et al. Performance of community health insurance in India: findings from empirical studies. BMC Proc. 2012;6:9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-6561-6-S1-P9.

  76. Edward A, Branchini C, Aitken I, Roach M, Osei-Bonsu K, Arwal SH. Toward universal coverage in Afghanistan: a multi-stakeholder assessment of capacity investments in the community health worker system. Soc Sci Med. 2015;145:173–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.06.011.

  77. Ferguson J, editor. A non-government organisation and mental health service collaboration for provision of residential comunity-based care. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2018;52(S1):3–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867418764980.

  78. Fiorini G, Cerri C, Bini S, Rigamonti AE, Perlini S, Marazzi N, et al. The burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases in undocumented migrants: A 1-year survey of drugs dispensation by a non–governmental organisation in Italy. Public Health. 2016;141:26–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2016.08.009.

  79. Gilbert H, Cunliffe A. Non-governmental organisations and the management of HIV and AIDS in refugee camps: A comparison of Marratane camp in Mozambique and Kakuma camp in Kenya. J Contemp Afr Stud. 2011;29(1):63–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2011.533061.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  80. Heinmüller R, Dembélé YA, Jouquet G, Haddad S, Ridde V. Free healthcare provision with an NGO or by the Malian government - Impact on health center attendance by children under five. Field Actions Science Report. 2013;8:1731. http://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/1731.

  81. Huff-Rousselle M, Pickering H. Crossing the public–private sector divide with reproductive health in Cambodia: out-patient services in a local NGO and the national MCH clinic. Int J Health Plann Manag. 2001;16(1):33–46. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.609.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. HY MA-H, Ohkado A, Masui T, Ali-Hussein IA, AN SA-A. A trial to mobilise NGO health volunteers to improve tuberculosis patient care in Sana’a City, Yemen. Kekkaku:[Tuberculosis]. 2010;85(3):159–62.

    Google Scholar 

  83. Matousek AC, Matousek SB, Addington SR, Jean-Louis R, Pierre JH, Fils J, et al. The struggle for equity: an examination of surgical services at two NGO hospitals in rural Haiti. World J Surg. 2015;39(9):2191–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-015-3084-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Mukherjee JS, Eustache FE. Community health workers as a cornerstone for integrating HIV and primary healthcare. AIDS Care. 2007;19(sup1):73–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  85. Nunns D. Working with UK-based non-governmental organisations for better reproductive health in Nepal. BJOG Int J Obstet Gynaecol. 2011;118:93–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03117.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  86. Odindo MA, Mwanthi MA. Role of governmental and non-governmental organisations in mitigation of stigma and discrimination among HIV/AIDS persons in Kibera, Kenya. East Afr J Public Health. 2008;5(1):1–5. https://doi.org/10.4314/eajph.v5i1.38968.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Oleribe OO, Aliyu S, Taylor-Robinson SD. Is the prevalence of HIV wrongly estimated in Nigeria? Some insights from a 2017 World AIDS day experience from a Nigerian non-governmental organisation. Pan Afr Med J. 2018;29(1):1–5. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.29.119.14868.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  88. Oseji M, Ogu R. Community based interventions for the reduction of maternal mortality-the role of professional health associations, non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations in delta state, Nigeria. Niger Postgrad Med J. 2014;21(4):343–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  89. Ridde V, Somé PA, Pirkle CM. NGO-provided free HIV treatment and services in Burkina Faso: scarcity, therapeutic rationality and unfair process. Int J Equity Health. 2012;11(1):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-9276-11-11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  90. Ron A. NGOs in community health insurance schemes: examples from Guatemala and the Philippines. Soc Sci Med. 1999;48(7):939–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(98)00394-3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Sankaran S, Ravi PS, Wu YE, Shanabogue S, Ashok S, Agnew K, et al. An NGO-implemented community–clinic health worker approach to providing long-term care for hypertension in a remote region of southern India. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2017;5(4):668–77.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  92. Sarwar MR. Bangladesh health service delivery: innovative NGO and private sector partnerships. IDS Bull. 2015;46(3):17–28. https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-5436.12141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  93. Sharma A, Singh S, Meena S, Kannan A. Impact of NGO run mid day meal program on nutrition status and growth of primary school children. Indian J Pediatr. 2010;77(7):763–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-010-0116-z.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  94. Singh MM, Garg S, Nath A, Gupta VK. An assessment of felt needs and expectations of people living with HIV/AIDS seeking treatment at NGOs in Delhi, India. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2015;27(2):NP703–NP12. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539509336669.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Singh V, Ahmed S, Dreyfuss ML, Kiran U, Chaudhery DN, Srivastava VK, et al. Non-governmental organisation facilitation of a community-based nutrition and health program: effect on program exposure and associated infant feeding practices in rural India. PLoS One. 2017;12(9):e0183316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183316.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  96. Sivakumar T, James JW, Basavarajappa C, Parthasarathy R, Kumar CN, Thirthalli J. Impact of community-based rehabilitation for mental illness on ‘out of pocket’expenditure in rural South India. Asian J Psychiatr. 2019;44:138–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2019.07.029.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  97. Soe KT, Saw S, van Griensven J, Zhou S, Win L, Chinnakali P, et al. International non-governmental organisations’ provision of community-based tuberculosis care for hard-to-reach populations in Myanmar, 2013–2014. Infect Dis Poverty. 2017;6(1):1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-017-0285-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  98. Solomon Y, Ballif-Spanvill B, Ward C, Fuhriman A, Widdision-Jones K. The dynamics of community and NGO partnership: primary health care experiences in rural Mali. Promot Educ. 2008;15(4):32–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/1025382308097696.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Thomas R, Srinivasan R, Sudarshan H. Nutritional status of tribal children and adolescents in rural South India: the effect of an NGO delivered nutritional programme. Indian J Pediatr. 2013;80(10):821–5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-013-1098-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  100. van de Vijver S, Oti S, Cohen Tervaert T, Hankins C, Kyobutungi C, Gomez GB, et al. Introducing a model of cardiovascular prevention in Nairobi’s slums by integrating a public health and private-sector approach: the SCALE-UP study. Glob Health Action. 2013;6(1):22510. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v6i0.22510.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  101. Wandwalo E, Kapalata N, Tarimo E, Corrigan CB, Morkve O. Collaboration between the national tuberculosis programme and a non governmental organisation in TB/HIV care at a district level: experience from Tanzania. Afr Health Sci. 2004;4(2):109–14.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  102. Zachariah R, Teck R, Harries A, Humblet P. Implementing joint TB and HIV interventions in a rural district of Malawi: is there a role for an international non-governmental organisation? [unresolved issues]. int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2004;8(9):1058–64.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  103. Bisika T. Health systems strengthening in conflict situations. East Afr J Public Health. 2010;7(3):277–81. https://doi.org/10.4314/eajph.v7i3.64741.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  104. Marie-Renée B, Hulme J, Johnson K. Payday, ponchos, and promotions: a qualitative analysis of perspectives from non-governmental organisation programme managers on community health worker motivation and incentives. Hum Resour Health. 2014;12(1):1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  105. Tekhre Y, Tiwari V, Khan A. ‘NGO-government’ partnership for promoting primary health services: A feasibility analysis in Arunachal Pradesh. Health Popul Perspect Issues. 2004;27(4):266–83.

    Google Scholar 

  106. Petrosillo N, Colucci A, Luzi AM, Gallo P, Palmieri F. Italian public and non-governmental organisations related to HIV/AIDS infection and migrant populations. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2004;40(4):433–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  107. Galway LP, Corbett KK, Zeng L. Where are the NGOs and why? The distribution of health and development NGOs in Bolivia. Glob Health. 2012;8(1):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-8603-8-38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  108. World Health Organisation. Sustainable health financing, universal coverage and social health insurance. World Health Assembly Resolution. 2005;58:139–40.

    Google Scholar 

  109. World Health Organization. Health systems financing: the path to universal coverage, The World Health report, 2010. Geneva: World Health Organization; https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/44371.

  110. Carrin G, James C. Reaching universal coverage via social health insurance: key design features in the transition period. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004. p. 13.

    Google Scholar 

  111. Savedoff WD, de Ferranti D, Smith AL, Fan V. Political and economic aspects of the transition to universal health coverage. Lancet. 2012;380(9845):924–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61083-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  112. Aspinall E. Health care and democratisation in Indonesia. Democratisation. 2014;21(5):803–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2013.873791.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  113. Lasker JN. Global health volunteering; understanding organisational goals. VOLUNTAS. 2016;27(2):574–94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-015-9661-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  114. Leonard KL, Leonard DK. The political economy of improving health care for the poor in rural Africa: institutional solutions to the principal–agent problem. J Dev Stud. 2004;40(4):50–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220380410001673193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  115. Commins S. Treading a delicate path: NGOs in fragile states. Draft London: Save the Children; 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2016, from http://www.alnap.org/resource/9378.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study is part of Ph.D. thesis in the School of Management & Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. The authors express their gratitude to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for supporting this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Funding

The study was funded by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran (Grant No: 64241).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Policy & Management, Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, School of Management&Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Arman Sanadgol & Leila Doshmangir

  2. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Tabriz Univerisity of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Leila Doshmangir

  3. CenterCommunity Based Participatory Research Center and Knowledge Utilization Research Center, Tehran Univerisity of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Reza Majdzadeh

  4. Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

    Vladimir Sergeevich Gordeev

  5. Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK

    Vladimir Sergeevich Gordeev

Authors
  1. Arman Sanadgol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Leila Doshmangir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Reza Majdzadeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vladimir Sergeevich Gordeev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

LD designed the study, provided the supervision and participated in drafting and finalising the manuscript. AS extracted the data, performed the analysis and participated in drafting the manuscript. RM critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. VSG contributed to categorising findings, developing the study framework, and critically reviewing the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leila Doshmangir.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The ethics committee approved this study of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Approval No: IR.TBZMED.REC.1399.370).

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Additional file 1.

Appendix 1: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. Appendix 2: Full search strategy with results. Appendix3: Quality assessment of selected studies.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sanadgol, A., Doshmangir, L., Majdzadeh, R. et al. Engagement of non-governmental organisations in moving towards universal health coverage: a scoping review. Global Health 17, 129 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-021-00778-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-021-00778-1

Keywords

Globalization and Health

ISSN: 1744-8603