Resources search

Mental health funding and the SDGs What now and who pays?

MACKENZIE, Jessica
KESNER, Christie
May 2016

Expand view

"This report provides an overview of who is currently funding mental health and who isn’t, but could be. It is a synthesis of research previously conducted in this field and analyses both existing and new funders. It highlights how little information there is on what donors are spending on mental health globally, what types of activities are funded and why funding mental health delivers a variety of benefits, and it suggests how to frame the issue to encourage more investment".

Health financing country diagnostic: a foundation for national strategy development

MCINTYRE, Diane
KUTZIN, Joseph
2016

Expand view

Health systems’ analysis is not an exact science in the sense that it is not a case of calculating an indicator and comparing that to a target that is set in stone. Instead, the analysis rests on describing elements of the existing system and critically assessing this on the basis of a clear understanding of health financing policy, the objectives associated with UHC, and relevant comparisons with and lessons from other countries. The paper attempts to provide guidance on how this can be done by highlighting the key issues that should be considered and some of the specific questions that should be addressed. It is not intended to provide a strict chapter-bychapter outline for a system assessment, but instead to foster and guide a systematic approach to the analysis of the health financing system. The health financing country diagnostic is written for Ministries of Health, advisors and others actors responsible for developing and implementing health financing policies, and provides step-by-step guidance on how to undertake a situation analysis of a country’s health financing system. Topics considered include: key contextual factors that influence health financing policy and attainment of policy goals; overview of health expenditure patterns; review of health financing arrangements; analysis UHC goals and intermediate objectives; and overall assessment - priorities for health financing reform.

Public financing for health in Africa: from Abuja to the SDGs

BARROY, Helene
VAN DE MAELE, Nathalie
MUSANGO, Laurent
HSU, Justine
et al
2016

Expand view

"This report takes stock of the main public financing for health trends over the past fifteen years in the African region, and highlights opportunities for accelerated progress toward universal health coverage (UHC) based on better-informed budget planning and utilization decisions. The report presents new evidence on the critical role played by domestic public financial management systems on the level, effectiveness and quality of public spending on health in Africa. It argues that these systems should be reconsidered if countries are to move towards UHC. Country experience in reforming public finance systems to support progress towards UHC indicates that success depends on more than simply increasing the level of public budgets. Rather, it requires appropriately targeted health budget allocations, complete execution of health’s public budgets, and improved efficiency in the use of public resources for health.

The report is composed of three sections. The first section is articulated around three policy highlights: aligning budget resources and health priorities; closing the gap between health budget allocation and expenditure; and maximizing UHC performance with the money available. Section 2 is dedicated to providing detailed health financing information on countries, and includes 48 country profiles focused on key health financing trends. The last section includes information on progress towards the development of health financing strategies in the region, as well as regional and country benchmarks on key health financing indicators"

WHO/HIS/HGF/Tech.Report/16.2

E-bulletin