Health Financing

Health Financing

The Issue

Low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, India, and Southeast Asia are home to 40 percent of the world’s population and carry about half of the global disease burden, but account for only about eight percent of health spending. Many countries in these regions depend on foreign aid to fund their health systems, which is not sustainable. Limited resources are often spent inefficiently, and as a result, health systems cannot meet the needs of their populations. Health providers are then forced to ration services among patients or charge user fees for care, forcing the poorest and most vulnerable citizens to choose between paying for healthcare or other basic necessities. Globally, close to 100 million people are driven below the poverty line in order to access critical services; many others never receive treatment at all.

CHAI's Approach

Regardless of how much money is available, how health is financed can have a massive impact on a country’s health system and patient outcomes. Countries at any stage of development can set up national health financing systems to spend available resources more efficiently and equitably to fund and deliver basic services to their populations. In donor dependent settings, CHAI works with governments to identify and address resource gaps and ensure donor funding is allocated to government priorities. In countries that are moving toward aid independence, we work with governments to strengthen institutions and processes to finance the health system from taxes and/or insurance contributions. Across countries, and with a focus on sustainability and institutionalization, CHAI builds government capacity to define and cost priority services or the benefits package to be delivered, to mobilize revenues, and strengthen planning and management systems to deploy funds efficiently.

Results

8
countries supported with development of financing strategies
US$4B
secured by governments for HIV and health systems strengthening
4.4%
increase in funding for primary health services in Cameroon through newly developed costed health plans between 2017 and 2018

Join Our Team

CHAI is looking for dynamic and self-motivated individuals who are committed to strengthening health systems around the world and expanding access to care and treatment of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other illnesses.

View All CHAI Positions View Program Positions

Join Our Team

CHAI is looking for dynamic and self-motivated individuals who are committed to strengthening health systems around the world and expanding access to care and treatment of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other illnesses.

View All CHAI Positions View Program Positions
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