Devex: Opinion: The health financing transition plays a crucial role in meeting UHC
Oleg Kucheryavenko, senior consultant at the World Bank

“…Countries at different levels of development move towards universal health coverage at a different pace. Some have already made considerable progress, and health financing transition plays a crucial role in this process, and here is why. More money available for health allows to increase the coverage of health services. It also leads to the improvement in quality of care. … ‘Transitioning’ countries are challenged to raise more funds for health, while external financing flows tail off sharply. Increasingly, development partners debate over the ‘right’ cut-off threshold to determine eligibility for development assistance for health. … What are the major concerns? 1. Cutting the ‘umbilical cord’ of development finance too soon. … 2. Battling inefficiencies and undermined planning. … 3. Pressing demand to deliver comprehensive primary care. … 4. Fragmented financing and service delivery. … What are the solutions? 1. Domestic resource mobilization and allocation of resource[s] to health. … 2. Prioritization of services, planning, and budgeting. … 3. Early engagement at the health system level and donor alignment. … 4. Building management capacity…” (2/22).