Background From cholera to the Black Death to the Spanish Flu, these pandemics have shaken entire continents on more than one occasion[1]. Like these epidemics, Coronavirus burst onto the scene in 2019, killing more than 3.9 million people worldwide as of June 2021 (OurWorldInData.org)[2], straining government finances, the health system ultimately establishing the health system […]
Applying Strategic Health Purchasing Principles in COVID-19 Response: Benin Case Study
Background Strategic purchasing means “active, evidence-based decisions in defining the service mix and volume and selecting the provider-mix to maximize societal objectives” [1]. Improving purchasing is central to improving health system performance and making progress towards universal health coverage (UHC). The COVID-19 pandemic response is a timely opportunity to assess countries’ use of strategic health […]
Lessons Benin’s National Health Insurance Scheme Can Learn From the Private Insurers’ Purchasing Strategy
Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) has become a priority for many countries.[1] According to the DHS 2017-18 data, only 1% of women and men aged 15-49 are covered by health insurance.[2] Through its current Insurance program for strengthening human capital (ARCH), the Government intends to collaborate with a private insurance company[3] to provide health insurance […]
What can we learn from Benin’s population targeting strategy for the national health insurance scheme?
Context: Benin’s government is redesigning their social protection systems to facilitate access to healthcare for its citizens and accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) (Assogba et al. 2018). Out-of-pocket payments constitute 38.6% of healthcare expenditure in Benin – a significant financial barrier to accessing health services for majority of Benin’s population . (Wright et […]
Les Enseignements Pour L’afrique Face À La Pandémie Mondiale Du Coronavirus
Le nouveau coronavirus, appelé COVID-19, a créé une urgence sanitaire mondiale sans précédent. Plusieurs pays africains ont pris diverses mesures pour prévenir la propagation du coronavirus et atténuer son impact sur les moyens de subsistance et leurs économies en général. Au point culminant de la pandémie, des pays tels que le Rwanda et l’Ouganda, et […]
Coronavirus: Amid The Global Pandemic, Lessons For Africa
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has created an unprecedented global health emergency. Several African countries have taken a variety of actions to prevent the spread of coronavirus and mitigate its impact on livelihoods and their overall economies. At the peak of the pandemic, countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, and South Africa were under a nationwide lockdown, […]
August Reflections
The August Reflections are a summary of what we focused on for the month – Governance for Purchasing for COVID-19