Strengthening primary health care (PHC) is crucial for universal health coverage in South-East Asia, but sustainable public financing remains a challenge in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Maldives, and Nepal. This study, based on extensive document review and interviews,...

Evolving healthcare in Southern and Southeast Asia
Rapid ageing and rising non-communicable diseases are straining South and Southeast Asia’s underfunded healthcare systems. Countries are boosting funding, adopting digital health, and improving preventive care, but rural access gaps and high costs persist despite...
Towards universal health care coverage in low- and middle- income countries: integrating refugees into national health systems
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...
An evaluation of the impacts of health insurance coverage on wealth stratification in some selected sub-Saharan countries
This study examined the impact of health insurance policies on household wealth distribution in four sub-Saharan African countries—Burundi, Gabon, Ghana, and Rwanda—that have achieved healthcare coverage above 20% in pursuit of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals....

ATOM Coalition launches health financing case studies to improve cancer care in LLMICs
The ATOM Coalition's new case studies examine cancer care financing in Georgia, Kenya, the Philippines, and Zambia, offering policy insights to strengthen access in low- and middle-income countries. The Access to Oncology Medicines (ATOM) Coalition, led by the Union...

Financing Sustainable Development: How ADB’s Theme Bonds are Transforming the Region
Since 2010, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised over $18 billion through specialized theme bonds to address critical challenges in water, education, and healthcare across the Asia-Pacific region, significantly improving access to clean water, educational...

Transforming Health Care Access in the Pacific Islands
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need to invest in the service capability and resilience of the health systems of Pacific Island countries. Responding to this need, the World Bank launched three Health System Strengthening operations in Samoa (2020), Kiribati...
The case for investment in tobacco control: lessons from four countries in the Americas
This study in the Pan American Journal of Public Health from 2022 explores the case of investing in tobacco control in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Suriname. Health taxes, for example on tobacco products, are considered opportune for both reducing unhealthy...

Caribbean & Central America knowledge exchange to reform health financing
Caribbean and Central American senior health officials met in Washington D.C. in June 2023 to discuss health financing and explore ways to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). Country leaders, health officials, policymakers, experts, and...

Webinar on health financing reforms in LAC, using examples of Peru and Colombia
The webinar announced in the March Governance Newsletter took place on 11 April 2025. This event, which focused on the challenges of financing universal health coverage in Colombia and Peru, was the result of a collaboration between two of the P4H Network’s academic...
Healthcare systems and health economics in GCC countries: informing decision-makers from the perspective of the Gulf health economics association
The discovery of oil has enabled GCC countries to provide universal healthcare to their citizens, but rising healthcare demands pose challenges in financing these systems effectively. Experts in health economics from the Gulf Health Economics Association held a focus...

Changing global health landscape affects the Caribbean
The Caribbean countries, small island nations and the region in general must adapt to changing financing for global health. Increased South-South collaboration and enhancing regional cooperation are the future of resilient and sustainable Universal Health Coverage.The...

Egypt, Armenia explore cooperation opportunities in health sector
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met with Armenian Ambassador Armen Sarkissian to enhance collaboration in the health sector, focusing on pharmaceuticals, training, and health insurance. Deputy Prime Minister and...

Strengthening Health Insurance Collaboration Between Estonia and Uzbekistan
The State Health Insurance Fund of Uzbekistan (SHIF) and the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF) held an online meeting to discuss Estonia’s successful health insurance system and explore opportunities for collaboration. On 28 February, the State Health Insurance...
Reducing fragmentation of primary healthcare financing for more equitable, people-centred primary healthcare
Published in BMJ Global Health, Reducing Fragmentation of Primary Healthcare Financing for More Equitable, People-Centred Primary Healthcare by Agnes Gatome-Munyua, Susan Sparkes, Gemini Mtei, Martin Sabignoso, Prastuti Soewondo, Pierre Yameogo, Kara Hanson, and...