Sweden rejects EU plan to fund budget with tobacco tax
The EU is weighing major tobacco tax hikes and new levies for its 2028–2034 budget, but Sweden and others oppose high taxes on nicotine pouches, citing harm reduction. Critics warn pouches may lead to youth addiction and note limited research.A recent proposal from...
The impact of conditional cash transfers: The Lancet Public Health July 2025 issue
A new Lancet Public Health editorial highlights the wide-reaching impact of conditional cash transfers on health, equity, and economic resilience—especially in times of fiscal strain.In its July 2025 issue, The Lancet Public Health spotlights the transformative role...
Shastha Chorcha Forum: Advancing Universal Health Coverage in Bangladesh
The second “Shastha Chorcha” by WHO Bangladesh gathered global and local health leaders to address challenges in achieving Universal Health Coverage. Emphasis was placed on innovation, leadership, community engagement, and collaboration for sustainable health...
Nepal Health Minister announces doubling of insurance support for patients with severe illnesses
Nepal will double health insurance support for eight critical illnesses to Rs 200,000 from July, also expanding enrollment, funding, and including compulsory insurance for government employees for greater program sustainabilityNepal’s Minister for Health and...
Hungary Freezes Prices on Dozens of Medicines to Protect Families and Pensioners
Hungary’s government and pharmaceutical sector agreed to freeze prices on 44 common medicines at end-2024 levels until June 2026, aiming to curb inflation and protect families and pensioners from unjustified price hikesHungary has entered a voluntary agreement with...
Africa CDC launches digital portal to boost NTD elimination efforts across 50 countries
Africa CDC and partners launch a digital portal to help 50 AU countries plan and finance efforts to eliminate NTDs by 2030, aligning with AU’s Agenda 2063 and national health strategies.Fifty African Union Member States have endorsed a new digital micro-planning...
President of the DRC affirms that health is a budgetary priority
The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo has called on provincial leaders to devote at least 15% of their annual budgets to the health sector. Health is a collective responsibility and a crucial objective for the future of the nation, a right for all, not a...
Bulgarian National Assembly Amends Health Insurance Act to Enhance NHIF Management Amid Deficit Concerns
Bulgaria’s National Assembly amended the Health Insurance Act to add a second NHIF deputy governor for better management amid growing fund deficits. Controversy arose over reinstating spending limits on medical care, with critics warning of financial strain on...
Imagining health financing as a shared public-private investment
A new report urges G20 leaders to redefine health financing as a coordinated, strategic investment, leveraging both public and private sectors to build resilient, equitable health systems for all.At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development...
Sierra Leone advances towards universal health coverage with key bill discussion
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health, supported by the WHO, held a high-level dialogue on the draft bill to establish the Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC), aiming to unify and streamline national health financing through integration of the Free...
Evolving healthcare in Southern and Southeast Asia
Rapid ageing and rising non-communicable diseases are straining South and Southeast Asia’s underfunded healthcare systems. Countries are boosting funding, adopting digital health, and improving preventive care, but rural access gaps and high costs persist despite...
Redesigning Fiji’s Primary Healthcare System for Equity
Fiji’s dispersed geography and workforce shortages limit healthcare access in rural areas. Efforts to strengthen community health workers, leverage digital tools, and prioritize locally-driven, continuous care aim to ensure all citizens receive essential primary...
Sustainable sanitation finance to achieve health for all
A shift toward local currency financing is helping underserved sanitation sectors access capital, manage risk, and scale impact. Nigeria offers a compelling case, but the model has global potential.As development finance adapts to new global challenges, a growing...
Croatian Parliament amends Mandatory Health Insurance Act
Croatia expanded health insurance exemptions, raised sickness benefits, reformed healthcare staff rules by abolishing internships, tightened misconduct standards, and passed a law requiring a master’s degree for speech therapists, with two years to comply. The...
Parliament approves Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill
Ghana approved the MahamaCares Fund to support chronic disease patients outside NHIS coverage, funded by levies and contributions. Despite delays and political concerns over funding and branding, it aims to ease care costs. Further talks with Finance will address...