Healthcare Financing in the African Countries of the Eastern Mediterranean

Healthcare financing is in crisis in most African countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of WHO. In low‐income countries, spending on health is very low and populations are not protected against financial risks. Middle‐ and high‐ income countries are suffering from inappropriate use of resources devoted to health and lack of use of economic tools in priority setting. As coverage by insurance is not well developed, concerns over equity in access are voiced in most countries. Planned policy changes or health sector reforms are designed to address these challenges. The approaches used are based on capacity building, institutional development and provision of needed expertise. International agencies are providing technical support to help in setting the reform agenda, in managing the planned changes and in monitoring the impact. Efforts are being made to strengthen national capabilities in developing national health account functions and in promoting the use of economic tools such as cost‐effective analysis, costing and cost analysis in health system management. A particular interest is paid to the development and strengthening of health insurance, and particularly microinsurance for uncovered populations. Countries of the subregion are encouraged to make better use of their training and research institutions and to facilitate the development of networks of health professionals dealing with health system development, supported by international agencies and development banks.