Over the last twenty years, many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) have begun to develop health benefits packages (HBPs), which are lists of prioritised services or interventions funded with public monies as part of plans to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
This blog provides an overview of published learnings from alcohol policies, building upon a webinar series hosted by the Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) Collaborative under the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage.
Over 2.3 billion people globally currently drink alcohol, consuming an average of 33 grams of pure alcohol per day. In parts of Eastern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, over 60 percent of current drinkers engage in heavy episodic drinking, consuming at least 60 grams of pure alcohol at least once a month. The health consequences of the harmful use of alcohol are significant.
In 2003, Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was established using a set of unique earmarked funding sources to help move the country toward Universal Health Coverage. This funding provided a critical source of domestic revenue that allowed Ghana to remove its previous “cash and carry” system and implement one of the best-known public insurance schemes in the region.
The use of JLN knowledge products is one clear example of the impact the JLN can have downstream in health systems; by enabling countries to use best-practices from JLN country experience as they work towards long-term health system goals, such as expanding and improving on UHC programs. These case studies profile the use of knowledge products in various settings.
Report on the Webinar on COVID-19 Preparedness and Response in Kenya; “Experience Sharing by the National Level and the Counties” Date: Friday, May 15th 2020 Background In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is facing an unprecedented economic and health crisis. Since its first confirmed COVID-19 case, Government has since given directives and […]