In recent years, outbreaks of diseases such as the Ebola Virus Disease and yellow fever have highlighted the vulnerability of healthcare systems in Africa to public health emergencies. This is partly due to inadequate and unsustainable funding. Tax Justice Network Africa and Christian Aid launched the ‘Health Financing, and Taxation for Sustainable Healthcare’ report whose overall objective was to identify the level of progress made by five countries (Kenya, Malawi, Burundi, Nigeria and South Sudan) towards the implementation and the attainment of Universal Health Coverage to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 – ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, utilizing tax funding.
SPARC through our executive director, Dr Nkechi Olalere, shared reflections on the importance of tax financing for public health and the value of political will in prioritizing healthcare in funding allocation decisions. The report highlighted that none of the five countries studied met 15% budget allocation to health target, and yet there are multiple avenues of leakages of potential tax revenue. Dr Nkechi’s presentation touched on how political will can be built.
Watch a recording of the session here.