In their article titled "The Role of HTA for Essential Health Benefit Package Design in Low or Middle-Income Countries," Ole F. Norheim and David A. Watkins examine how Health Technology Assessment (HTA) can contribute to the design of Health Benefit Packages (HBPs)...

CMU: citizens still dissatisfied
For the past five years, Ivorians have had access to universal health coverage. The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene is working hard to ensure that enrolment is effective throughout the country. Despite this, people still need to be convinced by the health...
WHO report: “Leveraging health financing to strengthen mental health services in Ukraine”
As part of its health financing policy papers series, WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Financing (WHO Regional Office for Europe) published a report titled "Leveraging health financing to strengthen mental health services in Ukraine". "This report’s primary...

Upcoming course on Benefit-cost analysis: Valuing life and health
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is organising an online course for practitioners, scholars, policymakers, and other stakeholders who have some familiarity with methods for economic evaluation and want to increase their basic understanding of benefit-cost...

Cancers, hepatitis B and C, and psychiatric diseases will be diagnosed for free regardless of insurance status
Diagnosis of socially significant diseases will be free, regardless of insurance status under the Mandatory Social Health Insurance (MSHI) system. After regulatory amendments, diagnostic services will cover suspected cases of cancer, chronic hepatitis B and C, and...

30 brand-name medicines essential for cancer treatment will be given free of charge to children in Mongolia
WHO, UNICEF, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, in coordination with Mongolia’s Ministry of Health, launched the Global Platform for Improving the Supply of Children's Cancer Medicines. The project, running until 2027, provides essential cancer medicines free...

Kazakhstan opened a national center for orphan diseases
The Republican Center for Orphan Diseases (RCOD) started its work on June 1st of 2024, marking a contribution to children's health on the International Childrens' Day. The main goal of the center is to improve medical care and quality of life for patients with rare...
Cambodia: Guidelines for the Benefit Package and Provider Payment of the Health Equity Fund
Health equity fund (HEF) is a social health protection scheme aimed at enabling access to essential health care among the poor for free of charge in public health facilities in Cambodia. The guidelines describe the standard benefit packages and provider payments for...

China to expand basic medical insurance coverage for newborn children
China has initiated a campaign to extend basic medical insurance coverage to cover medical expense of newborns.According to Xinhua, Chinese authorities have issued a circular announcing the launch of this campaign on March 2, with the goal of expanding basic medical...

Colombia: Generate 6.8% of Gross Domestic Product to maintain Health Benefits by 2030
The article presents the results of a study conducted by Banco de la República, according to which resources may be sustainable if the economy increases and efficiency is strengthened in the Health Service Provider Institutions (IPS).According to the Banco de la...

Lower health care costs in Burkina Faso
At its traditional cabinet meeting, the Burkinabe government approved a significant reduction in the fees for CT scans, MRIs and haemodialysis. These cost reductions range from 50 to 60% and are scheduled to take effect from the end of April 2024."The Council (of...

Health insurance agency was trained by the World Bank on health insurance package design
The Health Insurance General Office (HIGO) of Mongolia is working on updating and implementing national policies. In this regard, joint trainings were organized with the World Bank consultants. Training held on March 22 was titled "Improving the package of health...

37 new medical devices added to benefits and the Insurance Fund will pay for medical equipment worth 21.2 millon euros
In 2024, Estonia’s Health Insurance Fund will reimburse 21.2 million euros for medical equipment, with 37 new devices added, including compression products for post-breast surgery. Since 2023, the benefits package is updated twice a year to ensure quicker access to...

Azerbaijan leverages digitalization and health spending efficiency by launching “My E-Prescription” app
E-prescription is a digital alternative to paper-based prescriptions in Azerbaijan. The "My E-Prescription" system electronically registers prescribed medicines. A new mobile app connects doctors, patients, and pharmacists on a single platform, simplifying...

Dental care for Estonians became more accessible in 2024 with increased benefits and lowered deductibles
In 2024, the Estonian Health Fund will allocate over 103 million euros to dental care, the largest investment in oral health. Benefits for vulnerable groups (pregnant women, mothers of young children, pensioners) will increase from 85 to 105 euros, with deductibles...