E-cigarettes and Vaping is a growing public health concern among adolescents in Bhutan. Despite a history of stringent tobacco regulations, the rise in vaping and related health issues indicates a need to update laws and impose higher taxes to discourage their use....

A gender levy on harmful products for health equity
A new article in Think Global Health calls for a gender levy on tobacco and alcohol taxes to fund gender-smart health, combat NCDs, and address the industry's manipulation of gender norms.A recent article in Think Global Health by Kent Buse, Jeni Klugman, and Elhadj...

WHO and partners back Uganda’s commitment to sustainable health financing for universal health coverage
Uganda’s government, facing reduced donor funding, convened a high-level dialogue to prioritize sustainable domestic health financing, emphasizing increased investment in primary care, efficiency, equity, and innovative funding mechanisms. The dialogue concluded with...
A UK wealth tax for better health
In the face of deepening health inequalities and a crisis of underfunding in the UK’s National Health Service, a growing body of experts argues that it is time to revisit the idea of a wealth tax. With over four million children living in relative poverty, and with...

Experts call for health taxes, double spending to reform Pakistan’s primary healthcare system
Experts have proposed comprehensive reforms to Pakistan’s primary healthcare system, advocating for health taxes, a shift to prepayment financing, and increased public health spending to improve access and reduce financial burdens on households. The symposium...
A return on investment analysis for the 2017 increase in alcohol excise taxation in Lithuania
A recent study published in Addiction by Jürgen Rehm, Pol Rovira, Ahmed S. Hassan, Claire de Oliveira, Shannon Lange, Mark J. Thompson, Ilona Tamutienė, Vaida Liutkutė-Gumarov, and colleagues evaluates the impact of Lithuania’s 2017 alcohol excise tax increase. The...

Health Transformation Plan for Universal Health Coverage in Iran
Iran's primary healthcare system features a robust network supported by community health workers and has successfully expanded urban services to address significant health challenges. The Health Transformation Plan initiated in 2014 has made substantial strides in...

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...

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...

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...

Pakistan proposes 20% health tax on ultra-processed foods, beverages in FY2025-26 budget
Pakistan's Ministry of Health has proposed a 20% health tax on processed and ultra-processed food and beverages as part of a public health strategy to reduce unhealthy consumption and generate revenue for healthcare spending. Pakistan’s Ministry of Health has proposed...

Africa CDC to Pilot New Health Financing Options
Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is launching innovative financing solutions to boost domestic health funding among member states, encouraging them to allocate at least 15% of their national budgets to health. This strategy includes piloting new...

Governments explore innovative financing for NCD treatment
NCDs cause nearly 75% of global deaths, yet funding remains scarce. Experts at a Kigali forum called for increased domestic resources through excise taxes, pooled procurement, and public-private partnerships. Governments worldwide are under growing pressure to...
A political economy analysis of the legislative response to unhealthy food and beverage marketing in Chile, Canada and the UK
Published in Globalization and Health by Springer Nature, the article A political economy analysis of the legislative response to unhealthy food and beverage marketing in Chile, Canada and the UK by Fiona Sing, Sally Mackay, Boyd Swinburn, and Kelly Garton explores...
Financing for NCDs and Mental Health: Making the Money Work Better – Policy Brief
This World Bank policy brief explores strategies to improve financing for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health services amid rising demand and constrained health budgets. Despite increasing healthcare needs, government spending remains insufficient,...