National health accounts (NHA)

Health financing policy requires decisions on how to raise funds, how to pool them, and how to use them equitably and efficiently. Informed decision-making requires reliable information on the quantity of financial resources used for health, their sources and the way they are used. National Health Accounts (NHA) provides evidence to monitor trends in health spending for all sectors- public and private, different health care activities, providers, diseases, population groups and regions in a country. It helps in developing national strategies for effective health financing and in raising additional funds for health. Information can be used to make financial projections of a country’s health system requirements and compare their own experiences with the past or with those of other countries.

This web site is an example of one of the tools through which WHO builds global health partnerships; set norms; monitor trends in health systems performance; present policy options adapted for different country settings and strengthen country capacity to make informed decisions.

HEALTH EXPENDITURE IN THE WORLD (2006) Larger image [png 305kb]

COMPOSITION OF WORLD HEALTH EXPENDITURE (2006) Larger image [pdf 14kb]

Updated country information
NHA data of the Member States for 1995 - 2007

Institutionalization of NHA in Pacific countries [pdf 534kb]

Policy highlights
Illustration of NHA information for policy formulation in countries

Policy impact database by HealthSystems20/20

Refining Estimates of Public Health Spending as Measured in NHA
Canadian experience
USA experience

This Guide is now available in Arabic, French and Spanish also and in draft form in Chinese and Russian .

For queries or suggestions, or to submit material related to national health accounts or health accounting, please e-mail: nhaweb@who.int