1 - Improving Performance of Healthcare Ngos Operating in Conflict Zones

The world is embroiled in more active wars and long-lasting conflicts than any other time in the past two decades. Modern services such as access to healthcare are severely restricted or cut off entirely. In many cases the only actors capable of assisting the populations affected are NGOs. However, many NGOs are hindered by the lack of funding and instability in where they operate.
Can we improve NGO performance to set up healthcare infrastructure with increased efficiency and localization in conflict zones? This research utilized annual financial reports from 16 different international healthcare and humanitarian NGOs, along with first-person experience to determine where inefficiencies occurred. Additionally, an evaluation was done on the ability for the infrastructure developed by the NGOs to be successfully handed over to the host nation.
The results show that larger NGOs are able to assist a larger number of people yet at the cost of efficiency. Further inspection showed that attempting to assist with or offer broad healthcare services greatly affected the organization’s ability to offer services in a cost-effective manner. While interaction and collaboration with other organizations did reflect in an organization’s performance, there was no meaningful correlation to be determined.
It concludes that good integration with the local government affects lasting change, creates long-lasting systems, and maximize the geographical areas in which the NGOs operated. In doing this, NGOs are able to reach the greatest number of people, while creating lasting systems after the NGO’s leaving the area.

Co-Author: Tyler Sullivan, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences