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...
Political economy analysis of health financing reforms in times of crisis: findings from three case studies in south-east Asia
This study examines recent health financing reforms in Nepal, Thailand, and Indonesia through a political economy lens. The objective is to understand whether and how crises can be leveraged to advance universal health coverage (UHC) and to analyse the strategies used...
Financial Protection Outcomes in Four East Asian Countries During COVID-19: Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia
This paper analyzes the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and financial protection in four East Asia and Pacific (EAP) countries: Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. It highlights a general improvement in service coverage in...

Reflections on Public-Private-Partnerships for Primary Care in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) for primary care services have grown significantly in South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, largely driven by local initiatives rather than central government planning. These partnerships have evolved from...
Social protection for migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries
The report is the first of its kind to systematically assess the legal and effective access of migrant workers to nine areas of social protection, including medical, sickness, unemployment, injury, old-age, invalidity, family, maternity protection, and survivors'...
Sustainable Healthcare Financing for SDG3 in ASEAN-6
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for good health and wellbeing (Goal 3) outlines targets across various aspects of healthy living and healthcare systems. A key component of SDG3, specifically Goal 3.8, is the target for universal health coverage...
Financing of Essential Public Health Services in the Caribbean Region – Case Study
The study focuses on financing arrangements enacted to ensure the predictability of funding and the sustainability in the level and flow of funds over the medium and long terms to carry out essential public health functions in Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad...
Connecting the dots for leveraging quality data in health care in Africa and Asia
The report 'Connecting the Dots: Quality-of-Care Data for Purchasing Primary Health Care in Burkina Faso, Kenya, the Philippines, and Uganda', published by ThinkWell, explores the critical role of quality-of-care data in enhancing purchasing decisions for primary...

5th Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends on Universal Health Coverage
On September 24, the 5th Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Universal Health Coverage and Global Health, themed ‘Financial Protection: The Key to Unlocking Universal Health Coverage and Ensuring Equitable Access for All,’ was held at the UN...
Costing of Primary Healthcare Arrangements in six Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
This report determines the cost of selected clinical services provided at the primary care level across six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE). The cost of a selection of public sector primary level...
Financing health in sub-Saharan Africa 1990–2050: Donor dependence and expected domestic health spending
In 2021, global life expectancy averaged 74 years, while in sub-Saharan Africa, it was only 66 years, with health spending at just $92 per person. This amount is significantly lower than the $379 spent in North Africa and the Middle East, highlighting the challenges...