Obesity is straining Germany’s health system, costing up to €90B yearly. With half of adults overweight, politics remain divided: conservatives trust markets, while Greens push sugar taxes and VAT reform. Experts say real change needs political courage, not just...
Egypt’s Universal Health Insurance System in Luxor has enrolled over 90% of residents, with state support for low‑income citizens. Backed by digital systems, quality standards, and expanded services, it delivered 5.6M treatments in 2024/25, making Luxor a model of...
Concerns exist that performance-based financing (PBF) may erode intrinsic motivation by emphasizing financial incentives, though it could also enhance morale through improved conditions. Using six national pilot evaluations across Cameroon, Kyrgyz Republic, Nigeria,...
Internal migration in the Netherlands from 1998 to 2018 altered regional healthcare cost disparities by concentrating younger, healthier individuals in prosperous provinces and older, sicker individuals in disadvantaged ones. Using a novel framework that adjusts for...
In Congo, the National Health Council brought together 15 ministers and multiple stakeholders on July 2025 in Brazzaville. Financing and governance were at the heart of the debates. In Congo Brazzavile, the National Health Council (CNS) brought together 15 ministers...
Estonia plans to merge health and social care systems for better coordination, but interest groups fear rushed reforms could disrupt services, especially for vulnerable groups. Critics warn unclear funding and added bureaucracy may reduce access and strain providers....
Kenya’s universal health coverage struggles as hospitals face KSh 76 billion in unpaid claims, forcing cash-only services and risking closures. Delays, downgrades, and opacity have left providers in crisis and patients—especially in rural areas—with dwindling access....
China’s streamlined medical insurance now covers 95% of citizens, enabling instant newborn enrollment and broader benefits, including maternity and long-term care. Digital upgrades and oversight boost access, equity, and efficiency across the country’s healthcare...
Czechia has established 29 community mental health centres (CMHCs) using EU funds, bringing together health and social care professionals to provide comprehensive, person-centred services for people with severe mental health conditions. These centres have improved...
From modest beginnings, Vietnamese medicine has advanced to world-class standards, with surgeons now performing transplants, robotic-assisted surgeries, artificial heart implantations and stem cell therapies. The August Revolution of 1945 signified not only the birth...
Czechia exhibits lower catastrophic health spending than many EU countries, but the poorest quintile and older adults still face high out-of-pocket costs, primarily for outpatient medicines. Gaps in coverage—limited co-payment protections, inadequate adult corrective...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
