Madagascar : Contents of the bill on financial protection in healthcare for all users
Basically, the bill aims to protect the 90% of the Malagasy population (24 million people) not yet covered by health insurance. That's why it mainly institutes a non-contributory system of state assistance/affiliation (which may be supplemented by certain...
Why is it so urgent to reform FANOME, abolish the equity fund, and support SALAMA’s strategic plan?
The main aim of the Malagasy national pharmaceutical policy is to "ensure the long-term availability and physical and financial accessibility of quality essential medicines and medical consumables in the Malagasy health system". However, a number of malfunctions have...
Why shouldn’t the response to the COVID-19 pandemic be pitted against the CSU?
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic must be coherent and long-term. The risk is of taking a truncated approach, focusing only on short-term needs and interests, and pitting health safety and CSU against each other. Responding adequately to pandemics is a key...
Note 1 to the Malagasy presidency: Carrying the CSU lead
Note 2 to the Malagasy presidency: Carrying the CSU lead
Madagascar : Accelerating the implementation of the CSU: Why? How?
Three priority actions: ► Adopt the Health Financial Protection for All Bill (Pillar 2 of the CSU) currently under preparation. ► Adopt a genuine healthcare financing strategy ► Enable free access for the entire population to a priority basic care package at the CSB...
74th World Health Assembly: Challenges and roadmap for Madagascar
Although this issue relates more to pillar 1 of the CSU (provision of effective, quality health care and services), it is of particular importance in Madagascar, given the ongoing process of drafting a law on financial protection in health care for all users (pillar 2...
Willingness to pay for health insurance in the informal sector of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has a population of 6.6 million, and around 90% of the labour force in the country works in the informal sector, mostly subsistence or other small-scale agriculture. The extremely low gross domestic product per capita fuels the permanent fiscal deficit of...
Sierra Leone gets a US$50 Million to Address the Continuing Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Government’s quick and decisive actions to contain COVID-19 prevented a larger outbreak and saved lives, yet they also came at an economic cost. Containment measures disrupted the transport of goods within the country, with a heavy impact on the services sector....
Sierra Leone receives additional support for access and effective COVID-19 vaccines deployment
Sierra Leone received an additional US$8.5 million grant to support affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The funds will provide upfront financing to help purchase and deploy coronavirus vaccines, and to strengthen relevant health systems necessary for...
Sierra Leone’s free health care initiative: Financing implications
In 2010 the Government of Sierra Leone established the Free Health Care Initiative removing user fees (on drugs and consultations) for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under five. The major objective of the scheme, as far as health financing was...
Spending for health in Malawi: Current trends and strategies to improve efficiency and equity in health financing
Although remarkable progress has been made in improving health outcomes over the past decade, Malawi still faces challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic could reverse the gains in the health sector in Malawi. Due to the pandemic, there has been a reduction in the use of...
The right choice: Achieving universal health coverage in Malawi
In Malawi primary healthcare services are provided for free at point of use in all government facilities and selected Christian Association of Malawi facilities through service level agreements). In practice, however, around 70% of the services provided at tertiary...
How Brunei Beat COVID-19
Brunei is one among few countries in Southeast Asian Countries that could avoid a massive surge in cases and deaths. Applying an aggressive strategy of proactive measures, Brunei has succeeded in containing the coronavirus where many of its better-known...
Vaccination targets the high risk groups in Malaysia
Vaccination targets the high risk groups in Malaysia. The scheduling process of COVID-19 vaccine includes taxi and e-hailing drivers as well as p-hailing riders, involving over 50,000 individuals in the service. For more information, please...