During this year’s joint annual health sector technical review meeting, the following health financing priorities were highlighted to be presented at the planned policy review meeting on the 8th of December 2015:
Ministry of Health (Senior Management and particularly the new Minister) should endorse the final draft Health Financing Strategy as soon as possible. The Ministry should prepare a roadmap which includes both Cabinet approval of the Strategy by July 2016, and Parliamentary approval of appropriate new Single National Health Insurance legislation during the course of the new financial year.
In order to expand informal sector health insurance coverage, and to achieve convergence towards the Single National Health Insurance model, MOH should direct CHF implementers to adopt specific best practices with immediate effect. This would include (but not necessarily be limited to): informal sector health insurance membership, coverage, utilisation and cost information and data systems; financial and enrolment management systems; increased focus on enrolment of the poor (including relevant data and monitoring); and purchaser-provider split.
MOH and the Prime Ministers Office for Regional and Local Governance should place greater emphasis on improved use of available resources through addressing known bottlenecks, including through scale-up of Results-Based Financing, and strengthening Public Financial Management at all levels, including the Health Facility level. Continued advocacy towards timely release of funds by all parties should be continued, along with monitoring and reporting on the same.
