The broad objective of the study being conducted in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka in South Asia and Finland, Netherlands and UK in Europe is to develop a net-work of South Asian and European scholars that would study policy issues of common interest for exploration, analysis and exchange of ideas with the purpose of intervening in policy debates and generating public awareness regarding health sector reforms (HSR) as influenced by Structural Adjustment Programmes. 

1. develop a common tool and framework to analyse the shifts in mortality and morbidity in the context of HSR.

2. analyse shifts in public sector health services regarding priorities, quality and quantity of health services, technology packages and tools for planning and implementation of programmes and to assess their likely epidemiological impact if any, as reflected by mortality and morbidity data. 

3. understand the extent and nature of increasing privatization without any assurance of affordability and quality of services to users and to assess its implications for public sector health services.

4. document the nature and implications of decentralization of planning and development for health services in the region. This would throw light on the role it is playing in the process of privatisation as against democratisation of health services.

Investigation of the above listed aspects would involve analysis of available literature with the use of indicators related to mortality, morbidity, nutritional status; health sector indicators such as infrastructure, manpower, investment, utilization of services; assessment of programme and planning tools and techniques and; assessment of policy shifts such as extent and experience of decentralization; survey of all relevant information covering a period of 15 years, review of all studies and documents and select case studies on specific themes such as morbidity pattern, public-private mix, utilization etc. are envisaged. 

The country profiles will then be put together for comparison and for drawing lessons about methodologies and contextual issues regarding public health.