Global commitment to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) has led to increasing attention on health purchasing. Purchasing is one of the key health financing functions that provides the critical link between resources mobilized for health and the effective delivery of health services. Well-functioning purchasing arrangements allocate pooled funds to health providers, and are expected to deliver efficient, effective, quality, equitable and responsive health services and advance progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). This paper explores how improvements in purchasing functions in three Nigerian schemes—the Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Program, the Saving One Million Lives Program for Results, and Enugu State’s Free Maternal and Child Health Program—may contribute towards attaining UHC. The paper uses a case-study approach, with data analysed using the Strategic Health Purchasing Progress Tracking Framework. Findings show that improvements in benefits specification and provider payment contributed to some service delivery improvements in all three schemes. Resource allocation to public health facilities was enhanced and lines of accountability were better defined. However, the scheme-level improvements have not translated to system change, because of the small amount of funding flowing through these schemes and the high level of health financing fragmentation.
The full article can be accessed using the link here
The full article can be accessed using the link here