Smoke economics: lessons from tobacco ban for e-cigarette regulation in Bhutan
E-cigarettes and Vaping is a growing public health concern among adolescents in Bhutan. Despite a history of stringent tobacco regulations, the rise in vaping and related health issues indicates a need to update laws and impose higher taxes to discourage their use....
Enhancing efficiency of healthcare financing
Achieving UHC requires a variety of financing strategies, including government revenue to support those unable to afford care. It involves coordinating these funding mechanisms to create a sustainable health system that serves the needs of all citizens, particularly...
The Unified Health System has 8 million affiliates
The public health insurance system in Bolivia, known as the Unified Health System (SUS), has reached 8 million members. Coverage is provided at all health levels, from primary to hospital care. In Bolivia there is the Unified Health System (SUS), the state program...
Health financing for noncommunicable diseases: Landscape analysis of practices and challenges in the Sub-Saharan Africa region
This landscape analysis by the Financing Accelerator Network for NCDs (FAN) examines the health financing practices and challenges related to NCDs across six exemplar countries in Eastern, Southern, and Western Africa. By analysing resource mobilisation, pooling, and...
Rare diseases in France: a subject taken very seriously
France's 7000 rare diseases affect more than 3 million people. France is a pioneer in Europe in implementing a national plan for rare diseases. They are reimbursed up to 100% by the French Assurance Maladie. [ba_gradient_heading title="What is a rare disease?"...
Accelerating progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) in Uzbekistan : A proposal for a National Health System Strategy 2030
The Government of Uzbekistan, with technical support from the World Bank and its partners, has undertaken the development of a comprehensive National Health System Strategy to improve equity, quality, and efficiency across the country’s healthcare landscape. This...
Nigeria’s FEC approves health financing policy through Medipool
The Federal Executive Council of Nigeria approved the establishment of Medipool, a purchasing organization designed to lower healthcare costs by negotiating competitive prices for essential medicines and healthcare products, thereby improving access to quality...
Fact Sheets – Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s health sector has undergone significant transformation over the past two decades, marked by expanded access to primary health care, improved maternal and child health outcomes, and notable progress in the control of major communicable diseases. Guided by a...
Handle With Care: Four Ways to Give Asia’s Health Systems a Needed Safety Upgrade
The pursuit of universal health coverage (UHC) in the Asia and Pacific region has often overlooked the crucial aspect of patient safety, resulting in significant issues such as high rates of hospital-acquired infections and medication errors. This neglect not only...
Economists explain how the NHI can work in South Africa
Economists express concerns about the viability of South Africa's National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, citing the government's struggle to secure funding and the potential dismantling of existing medical schemes, which are already under strain. Economists have...
Willingness to pay for a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) in Pakistan: implications for health policy
This study investigates the willingness to pay (WTP) for one additional Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) among the general population in Pakistan, highlighting the economic constraints in healthcare resource allocation. A survey revealed a mean WTP of 114,006.4...
Implications of U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization on health financing in Africa
The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) could severely impact global health financing, especially in Africa, where its previous contributions supported vital health programs for HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, tuberculosis, and malaria. This...
Tanzania, Korea explore ways to make UHC work
Tanzania has partnered with Korea's KOICA to enhance its health sector through a knowledge-sharing initiative, focusing on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and technical assistance from Korea's Q-Deep program. The collaboration aims to develop a comprehensive...
Public-Private-Partnerships for Primary Care in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh: Lessons on pathways and drivers
In their recent publication in The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Shehla Zaidi, A. Venkat Raman, Mahbub Elahi Chowdhury, Farooq Azam, and Priya Balasubramanium examine the evolution and implementation of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in...
Out-of-pocket spending still high in Morocco despite state efforts
Despite notable increases in public spending, Moroccan households continue to shoulder 38% of health costs—well above the WHO's 25% threshold for financial protection.A new report from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection reveals that out-of-pocket payments...