[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – SUMMARY – Click on the WHEEL icon to open the textarea where you can paste or type your summary. The summary condenses the main points for the news that starts below. The summary is in bold and not longer than 300 characters, including spaces. The counter at the bottom can help.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||20px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Cheryl Cashin and Nathaniel Otoo discuss strategic purchasing for health in an interview with Results for Development, highlighting its role in maximizing healthcare efficiency and supporting universal health coverage. They also introduce the Strategic Purchasing Africa Resource Center (SPARC).<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT OF THE NEWS – BLOCK 1 – Click on the WHEEL icon to open the textarea where you can paste or type your news. PLEASE USE ONLY THE FEATURED IMAGE FUNCTION on your right column to add the image.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||1em||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n In a recent interview published by Results for Development (R4D), Cheryl Cashin, Managing Director, and Nathaniel Otoo, Senior Fellow, provide valuable insights into the concept of strategic purchasing in health systems. This approach aims to maximise the value of every dollar spent on health, ensuring that limited resources are used efficiently to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare.<\/p>\n Strategic purchasing involves agencies or institutions\u2014such as national health insurance programs or ministries of health\u2014acting as ‘purchasers’ of healthcare services. These purchasers have the power to shape healthcare delivery by making informed decisions on which services to buy and which providers to engage, creating incentives for efficiency and high-quality care.<\/p>\n Cashin and Otoo emphasize that strategic purchasing is essential for moving towards universal health coverage (UHC). It ensures that health funds are directed to priority populations and interventions, fostering equitable and efficient use of resources. By providing better financial protection and expanding access to services, strategic purchasing becomes a virtuous cycle that strengthens UHC.<\/p>\n However, despite its benefits, strategic purchasing is not always embraced. Some stakeholders resist these changes, fearing loss of resources or shifts in funding flows. Cashin and Otoo stress the importance of engaging all stakeholders in the process and ensuring that the transition to strategic purchasing is managed collaboratively.<\/p>\n A key part of R4D’s efforts to promote this approach is the Strategic Purchasing Africa Resource Center (SPARC). SPARC will build capacity across sub-Saharan Africa, offering mentorship and resources to institutions and individuals working on strategic purchasing. It aims to create a network of experts who can support countries in adapting these practices to their unique contexts.<\/p>\n Through examples from Ghana and Kazakhstan, Cashin and Otoo illustrate how strategic purchasing can lead to significant improvements, even in resource-constrained environments. For instance, Ghana transitioned from a fee-for-service model to a more controlled approach, reducing inefficiencies like overbilling for supplies such as surgical gloves.<\/p>\n R4D’s work highlights the importance of awareness, capacity building, and technical assistance to help countries implement strategic purchasing. This is especially vital for low- and middle-income countries, where the right mix of resources and expertise can unlock greater access to affordable, quality healthcare for all.<\/p>\n