Health Systems Financing

WHO supports countries seeking to strengthen their health financing systems. Its work is guided by a 2005 World Health Assembly resolution that urges countries to develop health financing systems that allow all people access to needed services while avoiding catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment. This work consists of technical and policy support to countries, the provision and sharing of information, data and country experiences, capacity building and partnership.

• The department's vision, mission and key areas of work
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CHOICE = CHOosing Interventions that are Cost Effective

Web site | choice@who.int

A sound health financing system ensures that resources are used equitably and efficiently - within both the state and non-state sector. For this to happen, there must be good, reliable information which can be used for setting priorities. WHO-CHOICE contributes to this evidence base by assembling regional databases on the costs, impact on population health and cost-effectiveness of key health interventions.

Contractual arrangements in health systems

Web site | contracting@who.int

Health-system reforms have led to a reshuffling of relationships between different actors, in the public, private or voluntary sectors. Increasingly, those relationships are based on contractual arrangements. WHO helps actors in the field to make effective use of contractual arrangements by improving knowledge about contracting, supporting experience sharing, and disseminating tools to enhance skills.

Health financing policy

Web site | healthfinancing@who.int

All countries have to make decisions about how best to raise sufficient funds for health, how to pool them together to spread the financial risks of ill health, and how to ensure they are used effectively, efficiently, and equitably. WHO's Health financing policy team focuses on key policy issues related to health financing, devoloping tools and information to aid countries in decision making.

National health accounts

Web site | nhaweb@who.int

The National Health Accounts team provides evidence to monitor trends in health spending for all sectors in a country. This information helps countries develop national strategies for effective health financing and raise additional funds for health. Information can be used to make financial projections of a country’s health system requirements and compare experiences with the past or with those of other countries.