This study examines how development partners influence domestic health financing in Senegal, which is essential for achieving UHC. Researchers identified four main mechanisms of influence: setting standards, lobbying, providing policy advice, and offering financing....
Assessing Root Causes and Solutions to Address Cross-Programmatic Inefficiencies in a Subnational Health System: A Case Study of Anambra State, Nigeria
Cross-programmatic inefficiencies in Anambra's health system arise from governance and financing issues, including duplicative roles, misaligned donor priorities, and weak budget implementation. Addressing these root causes could enhance the overall efficiency and...
Does Provider Autonomy Work Well in Tanzania?
The study examines primary care facility autonomy in executing Direct Facility Financing (DFF) in Tanzania. While facilities possess financial management knowledge and some autonomy, challenges like fund disbursement delays and procurement complexities hinder...
Health Reforms in Pursuit of Universal Health Coverage: Lessons from Kenyan Bureaucrats
Two members of Kenya's technical teams reflect on the progress made toward universal health coverage during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term, highlighting the importance of timely decision-making and balancing technical and political pressures. They offer three...
Rwanda’s Single Project Implementation Unit: An Effective Donor Coordination Platform in the Journey to Achieving Universal Health Coverage
After the 1994 Genocide, Rwanda focused on rebuilding its health system with global aid. However, coordination issues led to inefficiencies. The 2011 formation of the Single Project Implementation Unit aimed to enhance planning for universal health coverage, but...
Examining the Implementation Experience of the Universal Health Coverage Pilot in Kenya
The Kenyan government launched a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pilot project in 2019 across four counties—Isiolo, Kisumu, Machakos, and Nyeri—to eliminate user fees and address healthcare gaps. A mixed-methods study revealed that the pilot increased healthcare...
Staying the Course: Reflections on the Progress and Challenges of the UHC Law in the Philippines
The Philippine UHC law, enacted in 2019, aims to enhance equitable access to quality health services by reforming the PhilHealth and supporting local government units through a Special Health Fund. Despite facing implementation challenges, the initiative highlights...
Socioeconomic Inequalities in Out-of-Pocket and Catastrophic Health Expenditures in Pakistan
In Pakistan, healthcare utilization is linked to out-of-pocket payments (OOP) which disproportionately affect low-income households. The study investigated socioeconomic inequality in OOP and catastrophic health expenditures (CHEs), and the contribution of...
Examining health equity in Nepal’s climate change and health policies through the lens of environmental justice
In Nepal, lack of shared understanding of health equity across sectors hinders coordinated policy efforts. There is an urgent need to expand climate change responses to consider specific health vulnerabilities. By positioning health equity as a key element of...
The impact of the expanded health insurance coverage policy on healthcare spending
In South Korea, the "Moon Care" policy was implemented in 2017 with the goal of reducing co-payment rates for healthcare costs by expanding national health insurance coverage up to 70%, in order to protect citizens from financial hardship due to healthcare...
The 2022 restructure of Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system
Aotearoa New Zealand has restructured its health system with the aim of addressing inequities in access to healthcare services and health outcomes, particularly among the indigenous Māori population. In July 2022, two new organizations, Health New Zealand and Māori...
Value-based payment for high-cost treatments in Singapore
Risk-sharing agreements (RSAs) have been introduced to allocate risk between payers and pharmaceutical companies, often taking the form of outcome-based or financial-based models. This study seeks to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders within Singapore’s...
The impact of the health microinsurance on the utilization of health services among migrant workers
Despite the implementation of public health insurance schemes for migrant workers in Thailand, coverage gap exists within this population. The M-FUND is a low-cost, not-for-profit health protection scheme designed specifically for migrant workers in Thailand,...
Advancing evidence-based decision-making in Bhutan: development of a health technology assessment framework
Bhutan is currently transforming its health system and has updated its Health Technology Assessment (HTA) framework. This revision is designed to prioritize health initiatives and ensure the sustainability of the health system. The framework outlines the stages of the...
Health insurance, social safety net and maternal health service utilisation in Pakistan
This study examines the impact of health insurance and social safety net programmes on maternal health service utilisation (MHSU) in Pakistan. It recommends that expanding access to health insurance can provide comprehensive coverage for maternal healthcare services....