Health taxes on products like tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks are a highly effective yet underused tool in Africa for reducing disease and premature death, while simultaneously generating domestic revenue. These taxes can help governments save lives, lessen...
Strengthening primary health care (PHC) is crucial for universal health coverage in South-East Asia, but sustainable public financing remains a challenge in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Maldives, and Nepal. This study, based on extensive document review and interviews,...
This study assessed the implementation of Nepal’s National Health Policy at the local level, finding that health workers had moderate awareness, with main challenges including inadequate infrastructure, limited skilled professionals, and insufficient funding. Regular...
India is experiencing a demographic shift, with a large youthful workforce and a rapidly growing elderly population projected to reach 193 million by 2030, highlighting the urgent need for a robust and equitable health system. Universal Health Coverage is essential to...
This study examined the impact of health insurance policies on household wealth distribution in four sub-Saharan African countries—Burundi, Gabon, Ghana, and Rwanda—that have achieved healthcare coverage above 20% in pursuit of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals....
Despite Australia’s Medicare, out-of-pocket costs (OOPC) still make up 14% of total health expenditure. This systematic review examined the experiences of Australians with chronic conditions facing OOPC for out-of-hospital care, revealing income loss due to ill...
A recent scoping review synthesizing literature and data from 2000 to 2024 provides a comprehensive overview of Syria’s health system, aiming to guide post-conflict recovery efforts. The study highlights persistent challenges such as politicization of healthcare,...
This study assessed the annual out-of-pocket (OOP) costs of cancer care for patients in Bangladesh, their coping mechanisms, and the financial distress they experienced. Using data from three hospitals, researchers estimated an average annual OOP cost of US$ 6,504 per...
This note offers insights on how Egypt can move forward to achieve automatic UHIS coverage for vulnerable groups. Automatic enrollment would help eliminate barriers to UHIS coverage, get rid of long queues for applicants, decrease the administrative burden on...
Thailand’s entire population is insured under one of the three main public health insurance schemes: the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS), the Social Security Scheme (SSS), and the Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme (CSMBS). This study investigated differences in...
Since 2000, Rwanda has made remarkable progress toward universal health coverage (UHC) through a Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) system, but now faces chronic financial sustainability challenges as it aims for higher health-care standards under Vision 2050. A...
Private equity (PE) firms play a significant role in the financialisation of healthcare systems, yet research has largely overlooked their direct involvement, especially outside the U.S. This study investigates the drivers behind PE investments in Ireland’s long-term...
The study analyzed the determinants of the Healthcare Quality Index (HQI) in Saudi Arabia from 1990 to 2024 to assess both short-term dynamics and long-term relationships among key economic and healthcare variables. Findings reveal that, in the short term, GDP and...
Nepal's shift to federalism and the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) aimed for universal health coverage, but persistent structural flaws undermine strategic purchasing and system efficiency. The Ministry of Health and Population’s conflicting roles as...
Singapore’s new Healthier SG policy aims to integrate private general practitioners into the national primary care system via public-private partnerships, shared protocols, and unified IT and funding models. While the Ministry of Health has tackled several barriers to...
