No calm after the storm: time to reorganize national public financial management (PFM) systems in the health sector
The COVID-19 crisis affects all forms of government action, including public financial management (PFM) policies and processes. In this blog, we present our shared understanding of PFM lessons arising from the health response to COVID-19 and offer perspectives to...
Combating with COVID-19: the Russia Case
As of May 12, Russia has the second-highest number of confirmed cases with COVID-19 after the United States. Nevertheless, death rate remains relatively low. According to the latest data 290,000 confirmed cases were registered, more than 70,000 patients recovered and...
Now and forever: removing financial barriers to health services in Kenya
The now: removing financial barriers to COVID 19 testing and services On May 1, the Kenyan Ministry of Health rolled out free testing for COVID 19 in Nairobi and other areas with disease hotspots. Two days later, the Ministry noted in dismay that the turnout for free...
No calm after the storm: time to retool country PFM systems in the health sector
The COVID-19 crisis is impacting every form of government action, including policies and processes around public financial management (PFM). In this blog, we present our common understanding of PFM lessons stemming from the health response to COVID-19 and offer...
Combating with COVID-19: the Mongolia case
The COVID-19 has affected almost all countries and Mongolia is no exclusion. Due to the longest land border and extensive trade relations with China and Russia, Mongolia could be the most obvious hot spot. However, since March 10 to this date, there are 135 confirmed...
COVID-19: Partnerships to Protect People
Today, more than 4.6 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including more than 310 thousand deaths were reported to WHO globally. Unfortunately, these numbers are not estimates, behind each number, there is a real person. The impact of COVID-19 goes beyond health. It...
Coherent health financing for the COVID-19 response: a perspective from the Philippines
MAKING PURCHASING FIT FOR PURPOSE In the Philippines, the COVID-19 response has called for rapid adaptation of purchasing arrangements. In early 2019, the Philippines passed a Universal Health Care (UHC) Law that envisions the national health insurance agency...
There is a global pandemic – and we still lack fuel and airtime?
Governments around the world are scrambling to get their hands on personal protective equipment, test kits, ventilators and oxygen. But on the frontlines of service delivery in Kenya, we are also hearing about local health officials and facility managers needing money...
How do you buy healthcare services during a pandemic? Purchasing priorities to support the fight against COVID-19
As countries around the world respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are focusing on organizing and reconfiguring the delivery of healthcare services, such as screening modalities, home care and increasing the bed capacity of intensive care units, to meet the changing...
How to purchase health services during a pandemic? Purchasing priorities to support the response to COVID-19
As countries around the world respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, their attention is focused on organizing and reconfiguring health care delivery, e.g., testing measures, home care, and increases in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity, to meet the changing needs of...
Prioridades para el financiamiento de salud en la respuesta al COVID-19
Actualmente, todos los países del mundo se encuentran afectados por la pandemia de COVID-19. La necesidad de actuar es urgente, pero la respuesta debe ser coherente. Sería de poca ayuda si la urgencia del momento conduce al caos en la forma en que los países y la...
How to Purchase Health Services During a Pandemic? Purchasing Priorities to Support the COVID-19 Response
As countries around the world respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, their focus is on organizing and reconfiguring health service provision, e.g. testing arrangements, home care and increases in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity, in order to meet the changing...
How to budget for COVID-19 response? A quick scan of the budgetary mechanisms in the most affected developed countries.
The COVID-19 pandemic requires sufficient public funding to ensure a comprehensive response. The reprioritization of public spending to protect the economy and strengthen the health system's response requires timely action by government leaders and a favorable...
Priorities for health financing systems in response to COVID-19
To date, every country in the world has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Action is urgently needed, but the response must be coherent. It will do no good if the urgency of the moment leads to chaos in the response of both countries and the international...
Priority health financing challenges to combat COVID-19
On April 02, 2020, the Health Financing Team of WHO shared views on Priorities for the Health Financing Response to COVID-19 that reflected collective effort and thinking of WHO's health financing experts working in WHO's Headquarters and Regional Offices. This...