Lecture calls for universally dignified and equal healthcare access for Africa
UCT’s Global Health Lecture featured Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN special rapporteur, who urged that universal health access in Africa must prioritize dignity, equity, and solidarity beyond clinics and budgets. She called on clinicians as rights defenders and on systems to...
GIZ, Amref & ADB launch AI learning for health insurance reform
GIZ, Amref, and ADB are creating an e-learning course on Amref’s Jibu platform to help policymakers in Africa and Asia integrate AI into health insurance for claims and fraud control. Building on Learning Exchanges, it equips professionals to apply AI responsibly,...
Can people afford to pay for health care? New evidence on financial protection in Italy
Italy experiences higher catastrophic health spending than many EU countries, predominantly affecting low-income, southern-region, and pensioner-headed households, driven by outpatient medicines and care for poorer groups and dental care for wealthier ones....
Why are health insurance premiums rising faster than inflation in New Zealand?
Southern Cross CEO says 70% of New Zealand’s health insurance premium rises over 20 years stem from increased service use, not cost hikes. The society returns 93% of premiums to care, uses age-based pricing, offers excesses to reduce costs, and holds 70% market share....
Delivering on Health and Financial Protection for All: Financing Benchmarks for Essential NCD Services and Options for Improving Access to Affordable NCD Medicines
The report published by the NCD Alliance addresses one of the most pressing global health challenges of our time. Chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, along with mental health conditions, now account for the majority of...
Key takeaways on Canadian families paying over $19,000 on average for health care
A Fraser Institute study reveals Canadian families pay up to $19,060 yearly for public health care, costs rising faster than income. Despite high spending, Canada ranks poorly in access and outcomes. Reforms like modest user fees and private sector roles could improve...
Why drugs fail health technology assessment: a comparative analysis of health technology assessment rejections across seven OECD countries
In their article published in Health Economics, Policy and Law by Cambridge University Press, Filippos Papadopoulos, Erica Visintin, Ilias Kyriopoulos, and Panos Kanavos explore the reasons why certain drugs fail health technology assessments (HTAs) across seven OECD...
Addressing Issues in Canada’s Healthcare System
Canada’s universal healthcare is challenged by overcrowded hospitals, long waits, and preventable deaths. Business leader Op-ed argues Canada’s health system is failing, citing long waits, ER overcrowding, and calling for reforms to allow private options alongside...
Uzbekistan delegation completed study tour to Lithuania to advance health financing reforms
Uzbekistan’s health delegation visited Lithuania (Aug 18–22, 2025) to learn from its universal insurance model. The study tour shared lessons on governance, payments, and digital tools to guide upcoming reforms. Vilnius, Lithuania – 18–22 August 2025: A high-level...
Inequalities and trends in access to health insurance and essential public health services among internal migrants in china: 2013 to 2018
China’s 2009 health-care reform expanded Universal Health Coverage (UHC), but inequalities persist for internal migrants. Analysis of nearly one million migrants (2013–2018) showed high medical insurance enrollment (87.4%) and financial protection improvements, but...
The impacts of removing pharmaceutical co-payments for chronic conditions at primary care level: a pilot study in rural China
A rural China policy waiving copayments for essential medicines in primary care (PC) significantly increased PC visits by 44% and outpatient spending at PC facilities by 40%. At the same time, outpatient hospital visits fell by 26%, though hospital spending and...
Cross-regional study of evidence gaps on unmet needs for health and social care: executive summary
Universal health coverage (UHC) is central to ensuring equitable access to health and social care services, yet significant unmet needs remain across regions, particularly among older populations. While global monitoring indicators track progress toward UHC, they...
Health insurance in Djibouti will cover over 40% of the population by the end of 2024
In his end-of-year speech, Djibouti's Minister of Labor announced that over 40% of the country's population would be covered by health insurance.During his year-end 2024 speech, Djibouti's Minister of Labor said that after 10 years of implementing health insurance in...
The financing of HRH in the health sector benefits from strategic documents in CAR
In May 2025, reform of the Central African Republic's healthcare system gathered pace. At a workshop attended by 100 people, several documents were drawn up to provide a framework for investment in human resources for health (HRH). As part of the drive to strengthen...
Value-based care seen as key to transforming Asia’s health systems
A new Actuary article highlights how value-based care could reshape healthcare in Asia, improving outcomes, lowering costs, and addressing challenges from ageing populations to rural gaps. Healthcare systems across Asia are under increasing strain from demographic...