This study aims to analyze how public financial management (PFM) in Thailand adapted to support the purchase of COVID-19 related health services and vaccines. The limitations which delayed implementation on the budget execution have been discussed. Findings show that...

China has introduced Covid-19 vaccine insurance to increase vaccine coverage among the older population
To boost vaccination coverage among older citizens, the COVID vaccine insurance for COVID-19 vaccination side effects has been introduced in China. This insurance has been covered by the city’s fiscal department. Financial compensation up to 500,000 Yuan...

Thailand will end special insurance coverage for COVID-19 patients in July
During the pandemic, Covid-19 patients were able to seek treatment from hospitels or other hospitals, including the private sector. Since early 2020, over 150 billion baht (USD 4.19 billion) has been allocated for Covid-19 treatment. As Thailand’s situation is...

Saudi Arabia to no longer bear treatment costs of COVID-19 patients in private sector
The Council of Health Insurance (Dhaman) announced that the state will no longer bear the treatment costs of COVID-19 patients in the private sector facilities. Dhaman notified this through a circular sent to all the approved healthcare service providers and the...

Minister of Public Health Delivers Qatar’s Country Statement at the the 75Th World Health Assembly
During her speech at the 75th World Health Assembly, Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, the Minister of health stated that the State of Qatar, under the present government was able to address the challenges of COVID-19 successfully due to a comprehensive, whole...

Singapore’s COVID-19 treatment subsidies to be scaled back in July
Due to a progressively return to normal, from July 1, Singapore will scale back the government subsidies for COVID-19 treatment and return to previous health financing schemes: Government Subsidies, MediSave, MediShield Life and MediFund (S+3Ms). The subsidized...

Beyond the pandemic: strengthening Somalia’s health system
The Somalia government is leading reforms in strengthening its health system to effectively deliver health care services beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the main reforms that the government is considering is the introduction of the Essential Package of Health...

Nigeria gets over three million doses of COVID-19 vaccine
In April, 2022 the Nigeria government received 3,002,400 doses of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines. Speaking at the handover ceremony in Abuja, the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, said the...

Indonesia government to gradually reduce COVID treatment subsidies
Due to the downward trend of COVID-19 cases, the Indonesia government will slowly stop subsidizing the treatment costs of COVID-19 patients. The source of funding for COVID-19 treatment will be shifted from the government to the national health insurance program or...

Re-learning through the pandemic: India’s COVID-19 health financing response
Authors: Grace Achungura, Technical Officer (Health Financing for UHC-HCF), WHO Country Office, India Rahul Reddy, Health Systems & Financing Expert, India Mita Choudhury, Associate Professor, National Institute of Public Finance & Policy Jaidev Anand,...
How China controls the COVID-19 epidemic through public health expenditure and policy
This paper aimed to explore how the Chinese government controls the COVID-19 epidemic from the perspective of public health expenditure and policy. Findings showed that public health expenditure and policy played an important role in the governance and control of the...

Turkey’s healthcare investment proved its capacity amid outbreak: Presidential Communications Directorate
The Turkish government has been investing in the healthcare sector for years to improve its capacity, and these investments have been paying off in the fight against the coronavirus, Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said on...
54th session of the Economic Commission for Africa
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is organizing the Fifty-fourth Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, in Dakar from May 11 to 17, 2022. In conjunction with the Conference, the International Labor Office and the United Nations...

Japan provides cash handouts to low-income households under an emergency relief package
The Japanese government has decided to provide newly cash-strapped households ¥100,000 (USD 774) to low-income households whose income is fallen in recent years. These cash handouts are provided as a part of an emergency relief package. The source of financing will...

South Africa’s COVID-19 response Gets a $750 million boost
On 20 January 2022, the South African Government received a low-interest Development Policy Loan (DPL) of $750 million from the World Bank Group to support its efforts to accelerate the COVID-19 response aimed at protecting the poor and vulnerable from the adverse...