In Slovakia, catastrophic health spending is lower than in many EU countries but has been rising, disproportionately affecting low-income households and older people, mainly due to out-of-pocket spending on outpatient medicines. Despite a comprehensive benefits...
Can people afford to pay for health care? New evidence on financial protection in Greece
Greece experiences higher levels of catastrophic health spending than many EU countries, with the burden falling most heavily on low-income households due to spending on medicines and outpatient care, while wealthier households face higher costs for inpatient and...
Can people afford to pay for health care? New evidence on financial protection in Slovenia
Slovenia has one of the lowest levels of catastrophic health spending in Europe, thanks to its comprehensive publicly financed benefits and, until 2024, complementary voluntary health insurance (VHI) that protected people from co-payments. A major 2024 reform...
Budget Execution in Health: From Bottlenecks to Solutions – Case Study Series
The effective allocation and execution of health budgets are central to ensuring that health systems operate efficiently, equitably, and sustainably. The World Bank’s latest publication, Budget Execution in Health: From Bottlenecks to Solutions – Case Study Series,...
Analysis of Capacity for Delivering Health Services for Noncommunicable Diseases in Dominica
Esta publicación del Banco Mundial de 2023 profundiza en la capacidad de prestación de servicios para las enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT) en la nación insular de Dominica, en el Caribe. Los aspectos financieros incluyen la financiación de los recursos humanos para...

Why Universal Health Coverage matters in West and Central Africa
At TICAD in Japan, UHC took center stage as Africa’s young, fast-growing population underscores the need for stronger health systems. Despite funding gaps and persistent risks, the World Bank and partners aim to expand access, boost resilience, and create jobs, with...

Bhutan Celebrates 25 Years of Advancing Health Equity and Sustainability
Marking 25 years, Bhutan’s Health Trust Fund reaffirmed its role in financing free healthcare, having ensured Nu. 3.7B for drugs and vaccines. Despite sustainability challenges, it targets innovation, digital tools, and wider investments to secure resilience and...

Tajikistan moves closer to universal health coverage by testing groundbreaking reforms in Sughd region
Tajikistan’s UHC pilot in Sughd is testing health financing reforms to cut out-of-pocket costs, pool budgets, and expand primary care access. Backed by WHO, EU, and UHC-P, the initiative aims to reduce inequities, strengthen services, and lay the foundation for...
Universal public health insurance for Afghan refugees in Iran: a contextual analysis
This study explored the contextual factors affecting Iran’s basic universal health insurance program for Afghan refugees using the PESTEL framework. Through interviews with 22 stakeholders, researchers identified 61 factors across six main themes: political, economic,...

Liberia’s Performance-Based Financing Program conducts Financial Management Training for Health Facilities and County Health Teams from Seven Counties
Liberia’s Health Ministry trained seven counties on financial management under the PBF Program to boost accountability and service delivery. Officials stressed sustainability as donor funding declines, with the World Bank-backed training seen as vital for...

Syria Seeks to Rebuild Shattered Healthcare System
Syria’s healthcare system is struggling to rebuild after 14 years of war with massive infrastructure damage, healthcare worker shortages, and political divisions. Violence, especially in Druze-majority Sweida, worsens humanitarian access and security, complicating...
A “Diagonal” Approach to Integrating Nutrition into Health Systems: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Way Forward
This post was first published by the Center for Global Development on 19 November, 2024. Despite decades of global efforts, nutrition remains underprioritized, siloed, and poorly integrated within health systems and universal health coverage (UHC) efforts. This...
Health and social action sector policy letter 2025-2029 – Senegal
In 2025, Senegal's Ministry of Health and Social Action (MSAS) has developed a health sector policy letter in a participatory and inclusive manner, involving all key players in the sector, under the supervision of the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Cooperation...

German Chancellor Merz announces massive cuts to social welfare benefits
Germany expedites cuts to social welfare, pensions, and healthcare to cover military spending, deepening poverty for workers and pensioners while sparing the wealthy. Rising deficits fuel class tensions, prompting calls for socialist reorganization.Germany is moving...
Senegal Health Compact 2025 – Towards Universal Health Coverage
This document, published in 2025, materializes the moral, ethical and economic commitment between the government and its development partners, to effectively support the implementation of health and Universal Health Coverage policies.