This briefing addresses the issue of user fees, assessing their detrimental impact on health care access and children's survival chances. It summarises research and studies which have shown that for the poorest, fees abolition would result in a dramatic improvement in their lives, increasing utilisation of basic health services and uptake of immunisation services. It also makes three key recommendations: the G8 should increase their aid commitments for the MDGs; they should stop making user fees a condition for their support to health programmes in developing countries; finally, the UK Government should take a lead on this critical issue
This study investigates the development, implementation and impact of user fees for healthcare in low-income countries, and discusses potential costs and benefits of their abolition. The report indicates that user fees have proved an ineffective form of health financing, have failed to ensure equity of access, have not improved the quality of health services, and have reduced overall utilization by the poor. The paper, considering evidence form South Africa, Uganda and Madagascar, suggests that the abolition of user fees can produce significant equity, efficiency and political gains
