Out-of-pocket health spending in the Philippines hit ₱615B in 2024, 42.7% of total healthcare costs, exposing families to debt as government schemes lag behind rising expenses. Experts urge reforms and new financing tools like sin taxes to ease the unsustainable...
Bulgaria faces EU sanctions as private hospitals, exempt from public procurement, overcharge for medicines. Reformers’ attempts to reintroduce tenders are blocked by political resistance and lobbying, costing the state millions annually and breaching EU rules.Since...
Belgium’s summer agreement reforms healthcare by limiting excessive doctor surcharges, ensuring fair billing and equal reimbursements, curbing pharmaceutical overspending, and promoting sustainable care while preserving provider autonomy. This marks a historic step...
The Cuban government shows the importance of health, with 24% of the national budget in 2025 allocated to the sector. Of the health budget, 30% of spending is earmarked for the population over 60 years of age. In 2025, health remains a priority for the Cuban...
P4H country focal person Niccolò Rotigliano supported Cambodia’s progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) between 2021 and 2024 through policy dialogue, topical analyses, tax reform studies, workshops and other efforts. He helped foster collaboration, inform...
This realist review of 67 studies identified 27 strategies to enhance migrant health in Iran, focusing on trust-building through intersectoral governance, inclusive insurance to reduce financial barriers, cultural competency to improve accessibility, and community or...
The second “Shastha Chorcha” by WHO Bangladesh gathered global and local health leaders to address challenges in achieving Universal Health Coverage. Emphasis was placed on innovation, leadership, community engagement, and collaboration for sustainable health...
Portugal faces higher-than-average catastrophic health spending in Europe, primarily impacting the poorest households and driven by outpatient medicine costs. Despite universal access based on residence and a relatively comprehensive benefits package, coverage gaps...
A new report urges G20 leaders to redefine health financing as a coordinated, strategic investment, leveraging both public and private sectors to build resilient, equitable health systems for all.At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development...
This study assessed the implementation of Nepal’s National Health Policy at the local level, finding that health workers had moderate awareness, with main challenges including inadequate infrastructure, limited skilled professionals, and insufficient funding. Regular...
Fiji’s dispersed geography and workforce shortages limit healthcare access in rural areas. Efforts to strengthen community health workers, leverage digital tools, and prioritize locally-driven, continuous care aim to ensure all citizens receive essential primary...
In their open-access article published in Conflict and Health, Fadi El-Jardali, Sara Bennett, and Paul Spiegel examine how low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can integrate refugees into national health systems as part of efforts to achieve universal health...
The integration of refugees into national health systems requires context-specific strategies that account for societal attitudes, organizational structures, and financial realities, rather than relying on a single universal approach. Political commitment to universal...
Gabon's healthcare budget for 2025 is ten billion FCFA (almost 17,828,530 USD) higher than the previous year. In Gabon, the health budget for 2025 has been increased by ten billion FCFA (almost 17,828,530 USD). This budgetary effort on the part of the public...
The 2025 partnership between Al-Ahli Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), and other private providers is reshaping Qatar’s healthcare sector by enabling public-private collaboration to reduce wait times and improve equitable access, in alignment with Vision...
