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...
Tajikistan’s WHO Winter School: A proven model for advancing universal health coverage
The WHO Winter School in Tajikistan, held between 6-8 February, is a leading model for advancing universal health coverage through cross-sectoral collaboration, capacity building, and strategic health reforms. The WHO Winter School in Tajikistan, which recently...
HGPI highlights the role of data in advancing UHC and health financing
The HGPI report highlights the critical role of data in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health financing, emphasising the use of international databases for effective policy development and global comparison. The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)...
Health taxes could raise $2.1 trillion for low- and middle-income countries, IMF article argues
Higher taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks could raise $2.1 trillion for low- and middle-income countries while improving public health and reducing reliance on foreign aid, says the IMF.A new Finance & Development article by Masood Ahmed and Minouche...
Countries face sharp health financing cliffs amid dwindling aid, warns The Lancet article
Global health aid is declining, with over 3 billion people in debt-burdened countries. Nations like Nigeria and Thailand are adapting, but coordinated, sustainable solutions are urgently needed. The global health community is facing a critical juncture, as highlighted...
Guyana implements vouchers to extend financial access to UHC
Guyana institutes universal health care vouchers to cover a range of diagnostic tests not covered under the public free care program.Guyana operates a universal healthcare system where citizens and residents have access to public health facilities at no cost. However,...
Angola pledges USD 5 million to Africa CDC, advancing African-led health financing strategy
Angola commits USD 5M to Africa CDC, reinforcing African-led health financing, local manufacturing, and cholera response efforts, under President Lourenço’s leadership. In a move to support Africa’s public health independence, Angola has committed USD 5 million to the...