Experts call for health taxes, double spending to reform Pakistan’s primary healthcare system
Experts have proposed comprehensive reforms to Pakistan’s primary healthcare system, advocating for health taxes, a shift to prepayment financing, and increased public health spending to improve access and reduce financial burdens on households. The symposium...
Botswana partners with Buffett Foundation to boost maternal healthcare and UHC
Botswana has announced a major new partnership with the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation aimed at transforming the country's healthcare system, with a focus on maternal health, universal health coverage (UHC), and primary healthcare services. President Duma Boko...
Philanthropic coalition launches $500 million maternal and newborn health fund for sub-Saharan Africa
Philanthropies launch $500M fund to improve maternal and newborn health in sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to save 300,000 lives by 2030 amid global aid cuts. A coalition of philanthropic organisations—including the Gates Foundation, the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for...
Budget reform increases resources for health in El Salvador
Members of El Salvador's Legislative Assembly approved a budget increase to support the Salud Inteligente Integral (PROSIN) program at the national level. Components include digital health, strengthening health resilience and strengthening the network. On February 19,...
Health Transformation Plan for Universal Health Coverage in Iran
Iran's primary healthcare system features a robust network supported by community health workers and has successfully expanded urban services to address significant health challenges. The Health Transformation Plan initiated in 2014 has made substantial strides in...
Who pays when Africans fall sick?
Across Africa, millions in the informal sector remain uninsured—not from apathy, but due to the exclusionary nature of health systems. In Tanzania and beyond, digital innovations offer promising models for more inclusive health insurance.In Tanzania, only 15 percent...
Global health experts call for accountability in private sector influence
Experts at a UNU-IIGH symposium urged stronger regulation of private sector influence to protect public health and ensure equity in global health governance. The United Nations University International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH) and Third World Network...
Kazakhstan’s Primary Health Care Reform Saves Millions, Offers Model for Global Health Systems
Kazakhstan has successfully strengthened its primary health care system, achieving significant cost savings and improving health outcomes by integrating mental health services and adopting a multidisciplinary approach to community care. Kazakhstan has made significant...
WHO highlights progress and challenges in healthcare affordability in Bosnia and Herzegovina
A new WHO-led conference in Sarajevo revealed progress in reducing financial hardship from healthcare costs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while highlighting the need for further equity-focused reforms.On 29 April 2025, over 30 key health stakeholders gathered in Sarajevo...
Conditional cash transfers to improve health in Guatemala
Guatemala's Ministry of Social Development grants social bonds to vulnerable families in exchange for commitments to participate in health and education services.In April 2025, the Guatemalan Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) delivered financial assistance under...
How Japan could shape the future of the NHS
To help deal with its ageing population, Japan offers super bespoke health programmes for individual citizens, which aim to do a better job at predicting and preventing illnesses and make emergency care less necessary.The Health Secretary is taking a bold step forward...
Price increases at clinics fuel Korea’s health insurance expenditure growth
A report by the Korea Development Institute reveals that rising health insurance spending in Korea is primarily driven by increasing prices at clinics and outpatient services, leading to concerns about the system's sustainability. A recent report from the Korea...
Swiss Citizens’ Assembly backs sugar tax in health push
The Citizens’ Assembly in Switzerland has proposed a tax on sugary foods and drinks as part of six reforms aimed at improving public health, which also includes higher taxes on alcohol and tobacco, enhanced health literacy, and stricter advertising restrictions. The...
The Wait Is the Price: Quiet Rationing Plagues Canadian Health Care
The Canadian healthcare system, while publicly funded and perceived as free, involves significant wait times for medical services due to a mismatch between demand and supply, effectively rationing care. This inadequacy leads to substantial economic costs, estimated in...
How India’s tobacco taxes fund addiction and ignore prevention
India's tobacco governance reveals a stark contradiction, as the government collects over Rs 75,000 crore in tobacco taxes yet allocates less than Rs 50 crore annually to tobacco control programs, resulting in a chronic underfunding of health initiatives. This...