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...
Singapore approves S$6 billion to continuously support the COVID-19 public health expenditure
Singapore approves S$6 billion from past reserves to fund a “multi-pronged approach”, aiming to continue supporting COVID-19 public health expenditure for financial year 2022. Despite preparing for a new normal transition, Singapore still considers that it is not yet...
Japan pledges $500 million for global vaccine-sharing efforts
Japan is one of the major contributors in funding initiatives for vaccines. Japan will contribute up to $500 million to U.N.-backed efforts to ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccines especially among lower-income countries. The collaboration is co-hosted by Gavi, a...
Australia’s health budget tops $132bn for 2022-23
Australia's health budget will exceed $132bn for 2022-23, which increased from $62bn for a decade ago due to a rise of healthcare expenditures, the expansion of the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, the Covid-19 response and the addition of $2.3bn over four years for...
Somalia economic update: Investing in health to anchor growth
The sixth edition of the World Bank Somalia economic update series made several policy recommendations that would set the country up for economic recovery. These include; Investing in health and social safety nets would help improve health outcomes and human capital...
Virtual Roundtable: Strong and resilient health systems in Western and central Africa: What will it take?
The Western and Central Africa Region and the Heath Nutrition and Population Global Practice of the World Bank are jointly organizing a high level roundtable on Strong and Resilient Health Systems in West and Central Africa during the 2022 WBG-IMF Spring Meetings....
Health budget in light of pandemic
This paper is an attempt to demonstrate the planned reforms in the health budget, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is to be seen how the financial allocation for the health sector impacts the health of the Indian people. Access this paper here
The pandemic’s hidden cost: Much-hyped health insurance scheme failed to cover hospital bills
Tabassum Barnagarwala writes about the poor coverage of PMJAY, India's largest government-financed health insurance scheme, the reasons for poor coverage and the health impacts. Read more here
Improving response as Ethiopia marks two years since first COVID-19 case
Two years ago on March 13, 2020, Ethiopia recorded its first COVID-19 case. So far, the country has recorded 469,184 cases and 7486 deaths. In the two years since, public health measures, including core capacities to detect, assess, report, and respond to public...
Korea enhanced the COVID-19 response and childbirth care
Summary The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) in South Korea held a video conference, attended by the central ministries and 17 major local governments, to discuss the weekly risk evaluation and related response measures, fees paid...