Donors, Noncommunicable Diseases, and Universal Health Coverage to High-quality Healthcare: An Opportunity for Action on Global Functions for Health

Abstract Background Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) is a target of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the monitoring of its progress is of use to clarify what to be enhanced for better health. While the WHO and the World Bank Group jointly developed a scale with the above purpose (WHO/WB index: Hogan et al., 2018), it fails to reflect the fact that different needs to health coverages may exist depending on a stage of epidemiological transition. Methods To consider potential differences in health coverage needs depending on the stage of the epidemiological transition, we reformulated the index by incorporating weight as the proportion of age-adjusted mortality rate among monitored domains (i.e. reproductive, maternal, new-born and child health, infectious disease, non-communicable diseases [NCD]), of which data collected from the WHO Global Health Observatory. Additionally, we utilised indicators of policy achievements on NCD by the WHO’s Noncommunicable Diseases Progress Monitor 2015. Results The UHC progress monitored by the WHO/WB index had a mean of 61.83 (%) while it declined by about 4% point on average when NCD indicators were replaced. Furthermore, the UHC progresses evaluated with weights calculated from disease burden decreased by about 10% point for both measures, suggesting that some countries may not provide demanded health coverages. Conclusion The UHC progress decreased when disease burden for each country was taken into consideration. This indicates the necessity to assess the UHC progressby reflecting disease structure of each country, not by an identical scale for all nations. Key messages The monitoring of universal health coverage is required to reflect disease structure of each country.

Download Full-text

Strengthening the Health System as a Strategy to Achieving a Universal Health Coverage in Underprivileged Communities in Africa: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19010587 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 587

Author(s):

Anelisa Jaca ◽

Thobile Malinga ◽

Chinwe Juliana Iwu-Jaja ◽

Chukwudi Arnest Nnaji ◽

Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health System ◽

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Financial Support ◽

Health Financing ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Health Infrastructure ◽

Universal Health

Universal health coverage (UHC) is defined as people having access to quality healthcare services (e.g., treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care) they need, irrespective of their financial status. Access to quality healthcare services continues to be a challenge for many people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review to map out the health system strengthening strategies that can be used to attain universal health coverage in Africa. We conducted a scoping review and qualitatively synthesized existing evidence from studies carried out in Africa. We included studies that reported interventions to strengthen the health system, e.g., financial support, increasing work force, improving leadership capacity in health facilities, and developing and upgrading infrastructure of primary healthcare facilities. Outcome measures included health facility infrastructures, access to medicines, and sources of financial support. A total of 34 studies conducted met our inclusion criteria. Health financing and developing health infrastructure were the most reported interventions toward achieving UHC. Our results suggest that strengthening the health system, namely, through health financing, developing, and improving the health infrastructure, can play an important role in reaching UHC in the African context.

Download Full-text

FILLING THE GAP: DEVELOPING INDICATORS FOR EFFECTIVE SERVICE COVERAGE OF NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN THE CONTEXT OF UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE

International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences ◽

10.32827/ijphcs.6.5.144 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

Keyword(s):

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Noncommunicable Diseases ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Service Coverage ◽

Effective Service ◽

Universal Health

Download Full-text

Strengthening eHealth Systems to Support Universal Health Coverage in sub-Saharan Africa

Online Journal of Public Health Informatics ◽

10.5210/ojphi.v13i3.11550 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Adebowale Ojo ◽

Herman Tolentino ◽

Steven Yoon

Keyword(s):

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Strategy Development ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Universal Health

The aim of universal health coverage (UHC) is to ensure that all individuals in a country have access to quality healthcare services and do not suffer financial hardship in using these services. However, progress toward attaining UHC has been slow, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of information and communication technologies for healthcare, known as eHealth, can facilitate access to quality healthcare at minimal cost. eHealth systems also provide the information needed to monitor progress toward UHC. However, in most countries, eHealth systems are sometimes non-functional and do not serve programmatic purposes. Therefore, it is crucial to implement strategies to strengthen eHealth systems to support UHC. This perspective piece proposes a conceptual framework for strengthening eHealth systems to attain UHC goals and to help guide UHC and eHealth strategy development.

Download Full-text

Continuity in primary care: a critical but neglected component for achieving high-quality universal health coverage

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001435 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. e001435 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Dan Schwarz ◽

Lisa R Hirschhorn ◽

June-Ho Kim ◽

Hannah L Ratcliffe ◽

Asaf Bitton

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Health Coverage ◽

High Quality ◽

Universal Health

Download Full-text

Achieving high-quality universal health coverage: a perspective from the National Health Service in England

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000944 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (6) ◽

pp. e000944 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rocco Friebel ◽

Aoife Molloy ◽

Sheila Leatherman ◽

Jennifer Dixon ◽

Sebastian Bauhoff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

National Health ◽

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Low Income ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Staff Retention ◽

Health Coverage ◽

High Quality ◽

Universal Health

Governments across low-income and middle-income countries have pledged to achieve universal health coverage by 2030, which comes at a time where healthcare systems are subjected to multiple and persistent pressures, such as poor access to care services and insufficient medical supplies. While the political willingness to provide universal health coverage is a step into the right direction, the benefits of it will depend on the quality of healthcare services provided. In this analysis paper, we ask whether there are any lessons that could be learnt from the English National Health Service, a healthcare system that has been providing comprehensive and high-quality universal health coverage for over 70 years. The key areas identified relate to the development of a coherent strategy to improve quality, to boost public health as a measure to reduce disease burden, to adopt evidence-based priority setting methods that ensure efficient spending of financial resources, to introduce an independent way of inspecting and regulating providers, and to allow for task-shifting, specifically in regions where staff retention is low.

Download Full-text