The Week in Headlines
UHC Forward's Weekly Roundup of Headlines from Around the Globe
Week of July 15, 2013 - Governments around the world are engaging in serious political and technical discussions on how to expand health coverage. Still others are considering such reforms, but are struggling to navigate the legal, financial, and political frameworks of their countries to determine the best path towards universal health coverage (UHC).
Below is a list of UHC-related headlines from around the world. If you are viewing this on the web and would prefer to receive The Week in Headlines in your inbox every week, subscribe to the email edition.
COUNTRY HEADLINES
India
Roadblocks to universal health coverage: India is the world’s largest generic medicines exporter and has the third largest national economy in the world, according to data from the World Bank. But its healthcare policies are failing its poorest citizens.
The future of health and universal coverage in India: An interview with Dr. Srinath Reddy
These are exciting times for health care reform in India. In November 2011, the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) – appointed by the Prime Minister and headed by Dr. Srinath Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) –submitted its final report on universal health coverage to the National Planning Commission. The report called for an increase in health spending from 1.2% of GDP to 2.5% of GDP by 2022, to ensure that every citizen has access to a broad health benefits package.
Results for Development Institute Managing Director Robert Hecht recently sat down with Dr. Reddy to discuss the HLEG report and its potential impact on India’s health system.
Hecht: What was the motivation for the HLEG report?
GIZ Indo-German Social Security Program releases the March issue of RSBYConnect
RSBYConnect is an effort to connect with those that are presently involved -- or are likely to be involved -- in the difficult but extremely exciting journey towards universal health coverage (UHC) not only in India but in many other countries as well.
This newsletter explores issues that have a bearing on the roll out of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) scheme. The March 2012 issue includes:
- A Fact sheet and news updates
- Information on RSBY Smart Cards
- Updates on the complaint & grievance redressal mechanism in RSBY
- State in Focus: Punjab
- Status Report: MoU with German Municipalities for application of Smart Card technology
- Events Round-up
- Testimonials
- Upcoming events
Click here to download the latest RSBYConnect newsletter.
Critical policy decisions on the pathway to universal health coverage: Part II
Part II of an interview with Sujatha Rao, former Principal Secretary for India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Sujatha Rao, former Principal Secretary for India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, recently sat down with Meredith Kimball, Program Officer at the Results for Development Institute, to build on key themes that were identified during the plenary session, “Pathways to UHC: Debates on Critical Policy Choices” at the 2012 Prince Mahidol Awards Conference (PMAC) in Bangkok, Thailand.
In January 2012, Dr. Rao was named Senior Leadership Fellow in the Division of Policy Translation and Leadership Development at the Harvard School of Public Health. As a Senior Fellow, Dr.
Maharashtra launches health insurance scheme for poor
New scheme expected to provide health insurance to 20 million poor people
On Friday, August 26, 2011, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, issued orders to begin implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Lifesaving Health Scheme (RGLHS). The RGLHS provides health insurance to 20 million poor people in the Indian state of Maharashtra. All administrative measures, including issuing identity cards to the beneficiaries, are expected to be completed by April 2012.
The RGLHS will enable poor people, both below and above the poverty line, to get critical health treatment for around 972 surgical procedures identified in the scheme. The major diseases and surgical procedures covered under this scheme include cardiac, renal, brain and nervous system disorders, cancer and other health problems.
Under the RGLHS, the state government would pay health insurance premiums to insurance companies on behalf of the targeted population. A large number of public, private and charitable hospitals and nursing will also be included in the implementation.
Health System Innovation in India
"Let's Talk Development" publishes a three-part series on the challenges facing India's health system
Adam Wagstaff, Research Manager of the Human Development and Public Services team at the World Bank, examines some of the major challenges facing India's health system. The first post provides an overview of India's health system and explains how illness in India causes financial hardship. The second, focuses on two innovative programs -- one public, one private -- that have the potential to reduce financial hardship and raise quality of care. And the final post, examines innovative private sector approaches to delivering and financing health care in rural India.