The health financing system in Afghanistan remains fragile due to high out-of-pocket spending and reliance on donor funding. Households’ out-of-pocket expenditures or direct payments for health services account for 73% of total health expenditure with 75% of the total public health expenditure coming from external aid. This paper presents stakeholders’ opinions on preconditions of implementing health insurance as a mechanism to mobilize resources for health. The population’s understanding and buy-in to such an approach will determine its success.
The identified barriers prevent Afghanistan from establishing a health insurance programme in the short term.
