As noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) place increasing strain on health systems in low- and middle-income countries, the need for sustainable financing solutions is more urgent than ever. With development assistance stagnating and domestic budgets stretched thin,...

Nigeria’s FEC approves health financing policy through Medipool
The Federal Executive Council of Nigeria approved the establishment of Medipool, a purchasing organization designed to lower healthcare costs by negotiating competitive prices for essential medicines and healthcare products, thereby improving access to quality...

Price increases at clinics fuel Korea’s health insurance expenditure growth
A report by the Korea Development Institute reveals that rising health insurance spending in Korea is primarily driven by increasing prices at clinics and outpatient services, leading to concerns about the system's sustainability. A recent report from the Korea...
Analysing global immunisation expenditure
The Office of Health Economics (OHE) published the research paper "Analysing Global Immunisation Expenditure" on April 15, 2025. This comprehensive study examines immunisation spending trends from 2016 to 2022 across ten countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France,...
Consumer choice and control within a highly regulated, market-based system in Australia
Australia’s long-term care system operates within a tightly regulated, market-based framework that emphasises consumer choice and control. In this country report, published by the WHO Centre for Health Development, authors Sarah Wise, Michael Woods, and Kees van Gool...
Government purchase of private health services in the Eastern Mediterranean region: opportunities and challenges for stewarding towards a universal health coverage focus
As countries across the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR) increasingly rely on private providers to deliver health services, governments face growing pressure to ensure these purchasing arrangements align with Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals. This article,...
Purchasing health care from the private sector: a primer for middle-income countries in the WHO European Region
In response to growing interest among middle-income countries in the WHO European Region to engage private health-care providers (PHPs) within publicly funded health systems, the WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Financing has developed this primer to support...
Purchasing primary care services for quality chronic care: Capitation with performance payments in four countries
Published in The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, the open-access short communication “Purchasing Primary Care Services for Quality Chronic Care: Capitation With Performance Payments in Four Countries” examines how provider payment reforms can...
A Chinese conundrum: does higher insurance coverage for hospitalization reduce financial protection for the patients who most need it?
This paper analyzes how cost-sharing impacts the use of outpatient and inpatient health services in China. The study reveals that increased cost-sharing for outpatient services leads to decreased outpatient usage while simultaneously increasing reliance on inpatient...
Hospital financing: lessons learned from over 25 years of experience with the revision of the case-based payment system in Kyrgyzstan
The Kyrgyz diagnosis related group (DRG) system has played a vital role in health system reforms in Kyrgyzstan, focusing on improving service delivery through careful data management and stakeholder engagement. The evolution of this domestically developed DRG system...
Health care provider payment schemes and their changes since 2010 across nine Central and Eastern European countries – a comparative analysis
Published in Health Policy, this study by Ndayishimiye et al. analyses health care provider payment schemes across nine Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. It examines changes since 2010, highlighting the widespread use of blended and output-based payment...
Factors influencing health care providers payment reforms in Central and Eastern European countries
A study in Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing by Costase Ndayishimiye, Marzena Tambor, Katarzyna Dubas-Jakóbczyk, and colleagues explores factors influencing health care provider payment reforms in nine Central and Eastern...
Can revenue collection for public funding in health care be progressive? An assessment of 29 Countries
Published in Health Policy, the study by Thomas Rice, Karsten Vrangbæk, Ingrid S. Saunes, and colleagues examines the progressivity of public revenue collection for healthcare financing across 29 high-income countries. The authors assess three primary sources of...
Political economy analysis of primary health care-oriented reforms: a case study on contracting district health systems for primary care services in Thailand
In Thailand, primary health care (PHC) is the first point of access to health services for all Thai citizens within the district health system. This case study investigates the political economy factors that have influenced Thailand’s decades-long implementation of...

Minister of Health of Belarus welcomed Belarusbank’s investment into renewal of ambulance vehicles in rural areas and small towns
Belarusbank and the Ministry of Health have signed an agreement to launch a new social initiative titled "Affordable Medical Care with Belarusbank." This project aims to modernize the fleet of medical vehicles serving healthcare institutions in rural areas and small...