Optimizing US Global Health Funding.

This Viewpoint recommends increasing US global health funding levels, outlines steps for ensuring optimal integration and coordination of activities, and discusses ways to elevate noncommunicable diseases.

Financing of health services for undocumented immigrants in Iran: common challenges and potential solutions.

INTRODUCTION: Iran is host to one of the largest urban refugee populations worldwide, about two million of whom are undocumented immigrants (UIs). UIs are not eligible to enroll in the Iranian health insurance scheme and have to pay out-of-pocket to access most health services. This increases the likelihood that they will delay or defer seeking care, or incur substantial costs if they do seek care, resulting in worse health outcomes. This study aims to improve understanding of the financial barriers that UIs face in utilizing health services and provide policy options to ensure financial protection to enhance progress towards UHC in Iran. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in 2022. A triangulation approach, including interviews with key informants and comparing them with other informative sources to find out the complementary findings, was applied to increase data confirmability. Both purposive and snowball sampling approaches were used to select seventeen participants. The data analysis process was done based on the thematic content analysis approach. RESULTS: The findings were explained under two main themes: the financial challenges in accessing health services and the policy solutions to remove these financial barriers, with 12 subthemes. High out-of-pocket payments, high service prices for UIs, fragmented financial support, limited funding capacity, not freeing all PHC services, fear of deportation, and delayed referral are some of the barriers that UIs face in accessing health care. UIs can get insurance coverage by using innovative ways to get money, like peer financing and regional health insurance, and by using tools that make it easier, like monthly premiums without policies that cover the whole family. CONCLUSION: The formation of a health insurance program for UIs in the current Iranian health insurance mechanism can significantly reduce management costs and, at the same time, facilitate risk pooling. Strengthening the governance of health care financing for UIs in the form of network governance may accelerate the inclusion of UIs in the UHC agenda in Iran. Specifically, it is necessary to enhance the role of developed and rich regional and international countries in financing health services for UIs.

Continuum of public health dismantling during the covid-19 crisis: Bolsonaro's neofascism / Continuum de desmontes da saúde pública na crise do covid-19: o neofascismo de Bolsonaro

Resumo Neste artigo, aprofunda-se a discussão crítica às políticas adotadas pelo governo Bolsonaro em relação à saúde pública, particularmente no que tange ao financiamento em geral, ao enfrentamento da pandemia e ao primeiro ano de implantação do novo modelo de "financiamento" para a Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). A análise evidencia o acirramento da legitimidade restrita do regime político, assumida por políticas ultraneoliberais e pelo neofascismo do governo Bolsonaro. Estas formas de dominação - política e econômica - engendram uma conjuntura interna que visa remodelar a acumulação de capital na saúde pública via APS por meio de mecanismos "operacionais" burocráticos sutis de desconstrução da universidade do "financiamento". Na primeira parte, discute-se a abrangência da crise tripla do capital - sanitária, econômica e ecológica - e sua relação orgânica com o Estado no capitalismo dependente brasileiro, abrindo espaço para o crescimento da restrição do regime político endossado pela ascensão do neofascismo. Na segunda parte, aborda-se a escalada do desfinanciamento do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) em plena crise de covid-19 e os efeitos da implementação do modelo de financiamento da APS, evidenciando a continuidade do processo de valorização de um "SUS operacional" em detrimento do seu princípio de universalidade como dimensão neofascista do governo Bolsonaro.

Abstract This article deepens the critical discussion about the policies of the Bolsonaro government regarding public health, particularly regarding the general financing, the confrontation of the pandemic, and the first year of implementation of the new financing model for Primary Health Care (PHC). The analysis evidences the aggravation of the restrict legitimacy of the political regime, assumed by ultra-neoliberal policies and by the neofascism of the Bolsonaro government. These forms of domination - political and economic - produce an internal conjuncture that seeks to remodel the capital accumulation in public health by PHC by subtle bureaucratic "operational" mechanisms of deconstruction of financing universality. In the first part, the coverage of the triple crisis of the capital - sanitary, economic and ecological - and its organic relationship to the State in the Brazilian dependent capitalism is discussed, opening space to the increase of the restriction of the political regime endorsed by the ascension of the neofascism. In the second part, the increase of the de-financing of the Unified Health System (SUS) right in the middle of the covid-19 crisis and the effects of the implementation of the financing model of the PHC, evidencing the continuity of the process of valuing an "operational SUS" in detriment of its universality principle as a neofascist dimension of Bolsonaro's government.

Crowdfunding Campaigns and COVID-19 Misinformation.

Objectives. To understand whether and how crowdfunding campaigns are a source of COVID-19-related misinformation.Methods. We searched the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform using 172 terms associated with medical misinformation about COVID-19 prophylaxes and treatments. We screened resulting campaigns for those making statements about the ability of these searched-for or related terms to prevent or treat COVID-19.Results. There were 208 campaigns worldwide that requested $21 475 568, raised $324 305 from 4367 donors, and were shared 24 158 times. The most discussed interventions were dietary supplements and purported immune system boosters (n = 231), followed by other forms of complementary and alternative medicine (n = 24), and unproven medical interventions (n = 15). Most (82.2%) of the campaigns made definitive efficacy claims.Conclusions. Campaigners focused their efforts on dietary supplements and immune system boosters. Campaigns for purported COVID-19 treatments are particularly concerning, but purported prophylaxes could also distract from known effective preventative approaches. GoFundMe should join other online and social media platforms to actively restrict campaigns that spread misinformation about COVID-19 or seek to better inform campaigners about evidence-based prophylaxes and treatments.

Health financing and public financial management during the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from Pakistan as low-income country.

PURPOSE: This article aims to explore the areas of misalignment between the public financial management (PFM) and health financing during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study on South Asian countries to adopt a framework and bring forward the dominant themes that cause the misalignment between PFM and health financing. The timing of the research was excellent as the world was facing the biggest health challenge in the form of COVID-19 which has put pressure on the PFM and has seriously hampered health service delivery. Therefore, the findings of the study are helpful for the ministry of health to draft policies to improve health allocations and move towards Universal Health Coverage. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: In-depth semi-structured interviews of 15 participants were used to explore the areas of misalignment between PFM and health financing. Based on qualitative data, thematic content analysis has been carried out. FINDINGS: The findings of the study can be divided into five clusters and their explanations. First overall budget allocation has an impact on the health sector budget. For example, the budget for priority health interventions is not reflected in the budget allocation process. Further, the budget is classified by inputs rather than disease and finally, the budget is not released by the health priorities. The second cluster was the devolution of health to provinces which is unfinished agenda. Under this cluster fiscal decentralisation has been found to cause problems for the provinces as they have not provided fiscal autonomy to spend the money and there is a lack of coordination between the federal and provincial authorities. The third cluster was donor funding, and it was observed that it is not aligned with the government policies and priorities. Forth cluster was procurement and it was discovered that it is a lengthy process and caused delays in procuring the essential health equipment. The fifth cluster was an organisational culture that is not conducive to the health sector. Under this cluster, the attitude, knowledge, and practices of departments responsible for the health sector require complete revamping.

Prioritization of public health financing, organization, and workforce transformation: a Delphi study in Canada.

BACKGROUND: The increased scrutiny on public health brought upon by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provides a strong impetus for a renewal of public health systems. This paper seeks to understand priorities of public health decision-makers for reforms to public health financing, organization, interventions, and workforce. METHODS: We used an online 3-round real-time Delphi method of reaching consensus on priorities for public health systems reform. Participants were recruited among individuals holding senior roles in Canadian public health institutions, ministries of health and regional health authorities. In Round 1, participants were asked to rate 9 propositions related to public health financing, organization, workforce, and interventions. Participants were also asked to contribute up to three further ideas in relation to these topics in open-ended format. In Rounds 2 and 3, participants re-appraised their ratings in the view of the group's ratings in the previous round. RESULTS: Eighty-six public health senior decision-makers from various public health organizations across Canada were invited to participate. Of these, 25/86 completed Round 1 (29% response rate), 19/25 completed Round 2 (76% retention rate) and 18/19 completed Round 3 (95% retention rate). Consensus (defined as more than 70% of importance rating) was achieved for 6 out of 9 propositions at the end of the third round. In only one case, the consensus was that the proposition was not important. Proposition rated consensually important relate to targeted public health budget, time frame for spending this budget, and the specialization of public health structures. Both interventions related and not related to the COVID-19 pandemic were judged important. Open-ended comments further highlighted priorities for renewal in public health governance and public health information management systems. CONCLUSION: Consensus emerged rapidly among Canadian public health decision-makers on prioritizing public health budget and time frame for spending. Ensuring that public health services beyond COVID-19 and communicable disease are maintained and enhanced is also of central importance. Future research shall explore potential trade-offs between these priorities.

Tracking development assistance for health and for COVID-19: a review of development assistance, government, out-of-pocket, and other private spending on health for 204 countries and territories, 1990-2050.

BACKGROUND: The rapid spread of COVID-19 renewed the focus on how health systems across the globe are financed, especially during public health emergencies. Development assistance is an important source of health financing in many low-income countries, yet little is known about how much of this funding was disbursed for COVID-19. We aimed to put development assistance for health for COVID-19 in the context of broader trends in global health financing, and to estimate total health spending from 1995 to 2050 and development assistance for COVID-19 in 2020. METHODS: We estimated domestic health spending and development assistance for health to generate total health-sector spending estimates for 204 countries and territories. We leveraged data from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database to produce estimates of domestic health spending. To generate estimates for development assistance for health, we relied on project-level disbursement data from the major international development agencies' online databases and annual financial statements and reports for information on income sources. To adjust our estimates for 2020 to include disbursements related to COVID-19, we extracted project data on commitments and disbursements from a broader set of databases (because not all of the data sources used to estimate the historical series extend to 2020), including the UN Office of Humanitarian Assistance Financial Tracking Service and the International Aid Transparency Initiative. We reported all the historic and future spending estimates in inflation-adjusted 2020 US$, 2020 US$ per capita, purchasing-power parity-adjusted US$ per capita, and as a proportion of gross domestic product. We used various models to generate future health spending to 2050. FINDINGS: In 2019, health spending globally reached $8·8 trillion (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 8·7-8·8) or $1132 (1119-1143) per person. Spending on health varied within and across income groups and geographical regions. Of this total, $40·4 billion (0·5%, 95% UI 0·5-0·5) was development assistance for health provided to low-income and middle-income countries, which made up 24·6% (UI 24·0-25·1) of total spending in low-income countries. We estimate that $54·8 billion in development assistance for health was disbursed in 2020. Of this, $13·7 billion was targeted toward the COVID-19 health response. $12·3 billion was newly committed and $1·4 billion was repurposed from existing health projects. $3·1 billion (22·4%) of the funds focused on country-level coordination and $2·4 billion (17·9%) was for supply chain and logistics. Only $714·4 million (7·7%) of COVID-19 development assistance for health went to Latin America, despite this region reporting 34·3% of total recorded COVID-19 deaths in low-income or middle-income countries in 2020. Spending on health is expected to rise to $1519 (1448-1591) per person in 2050, although spending across countries is expected to remain varied. INTERPRETATION: Global health spending is expected to continue to grow, but remain unequally distributed between countries. We estimate that development organisations substantially increased the amount of development assistance for health provided in 2020. Continued efforts are needed to raise sufficient resources to mitigate the pandemic for the most vulnerable, and to help curtail the pandemic for all. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Улучшать показатели здоровья и благополучия для жителей малых стран в Европейском регионе ВОЗ: Черногорское заявление: Восьмое совещание высокого уровня Инициативы для малых стран, 2–3 июня 2022 г., Бечичи (Будва), Черногория

Пандемия COVID-19 оказала беспрецедентное негативное воздействие на системы здравоохранения и экономики стран, при этом она особенно тяжело сказалась на положении 11 малых стран в Европейском регионе ВОЗ, поскольку для многих из них туризм был и остается весьма значительной частью их национальной экономики. В ходе Восьмого совещания высокого уровня Инициативы ЕРБ ВОЗ для малых стран министры здравоохранения и делегаты этих стран утвердили смелое перспективное видение, которое ляжет в основу процесса восстановления после пандемии COVID-19. В ходе этого двухдневного мероприятия, прошедшего 2–3 июня 2022 г. в Бечичи (Черногория), министры и их представители обсудили два ключевых вопроса: как малые страны могут успешно восстановиться после пандемии и как они могут сделать охрану здоровья одной из основных составляющих своих секторов туризма. В завершение совещания делегаты стран единогласно приняли “Черногорское заявление” – документ, в котором изложены ключевые обязательства в отношении дальнейших действий.

Auf dem Weg zu mehr Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden in den kleinen Ländern der Europäischen Region der WHO: die Erklärung von Montenegro: Achte hochrangige Tagung der Initiative kleiner Länder, 2.–3. Juni 2022, Bečići (Budva, Montenegro)

Die COVID-19-Pandemie hatte beispiellose Auswirkungen auf die Gesundheitssysteme und Volkswirtschaften der Länder, doch für die 11 kleinsten Länder in der Europäischen Region der WHO – von denen viele wirtschaftlich zu einem großen Teil vom Tourismus abhängig sind – waren die Folgen besonders schwerwiegend. Im Rahmen der Achten hochrangigen Tagung der Initiative kleiner Länder von WHO/Europa stimmten die Gesundheitsminister und Delegierten dieser Länder einer mutigen Zukunftsvision zu, um den Wiederaufbau nach der COVID-19-Pandemie voranzutreiben. Bei der zweitägigen Veranstaltung, die am 2. und 3. Juni 2022 in Bečići (Montenegro) abgehalten wurde, erörterten die Minister und ihre Vertreter zwei zentrale Themen: wie kleine Länder sich erfolgreich von der Pandemie erholen und wie sie das Thema Gesundheit in den Mittelpunkt ihrer Tourismuswirtschaft rücken können. Am Ende der Tagung nahmen die Delegierten der Länder einstimmig die Erklärung von Montenegro an, in der die zentralen Verpflichtungen für das künftige Vorgehen dargelegt werden.

Vers une meilleure santé et un meilleur bien-être dans les petits États de la Région européenne de l’OMS : déclaration du Monténégro : Huitième Réunion de haut niveau de l’Initiative des petits États, 2-3 juin 2022, Bečići (Budva), Monténégro

Si la pandémie de COVID-19 a eu des effets sans précédents sur les économies et les systèmes de santé nationaux, son impact sur les 11 plus petits États de la Région européenne de l’OMS (l’économie de la majorité d’entre eux étant largement dépendante du tourisme) a été particulièrement grave. Rassemblés à l’occasion de la Huitième Réunion de haut niveau de l’Initiative des petits États de l’OMS/Europe, les ministres de la Santé et les délégués des pays concernés ont approuvé une vision audacieuse pour favoriser le relèvement post- COVID-19. Au cours de cet événement de deux jours organisé les 2 et 3 juin 2022 à Bečići (Monténégro), les ministres et leurs représentants se sont penchés sur deux questions essentielles : comment les petits États peuvent-ils réussir à se remettre de la pandémie, et comment peuvent-ils placer la santé au cœur de leur secteur touristique ? À la fin de la réunion, les délégués nationaux ont adopté à l’unanimité la Déclaration du Monténégro qui présente les principaux engagements pour aller de l’avant.

Towards better health and well-being in Small Countries in the WHO European Region: the Montenegro statement: Eighth high-level meeting of the Small Countries Initiative, 2–3 June 2022, Bečići (Budva), Montenegro

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on countries’ health systems and economies, but its impact on the 11 smallest countries in the WHO European Region – many of which rely on tourism as a large part of their national economy – has been particularly severe. Meeting at the Eighth high-level meeting of the WHO/Europe Small Countries Initiative, the countries’ health ministers and delegates endorsed a bold vision to drive recovery in the post-COVID-19 era. The two-day event, held on 2–3 June 2022 in Bečići, Montenegro, saw the ministers and their representatives discuss two key issues: how small countries can successfully recover from the pandemic, and how they can place health at the heart of their tourism sectors. At the end of the meeting, the countries’ delegates unanimously adopted the Montenegro statement, which outlines key commitments for moving forward.