This piece originally appeared in P4H here. Written by Shamima Akhter, Anooj Pattnaik, Callum Pierce, Afroja Yesmin, and Pak Trihono In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Helal, the manager of a busy health facility in Bangladesh’s sprawling capital city of Dhaka was faced with an unexpected challenge: how would he pay for […]

Written by Andrea Bare (Program Director, ThinkWell) and Martha Coe (Program Manager, ThinkWell) Routine immunization is not clearly and consistently prioritized—nor is it sufficiently funded—in many countries across the income spectrum. Yet, the evidence has spoken: the benefits of immunization are undeniable. Not only is immunization successful in warding off disease—it is also a cost-effective […]

A vaccination campaign requires significant resources over a short period of time. Unlike with routine immunization programs, where resource allocations can be fine-tuned over time, a campaign is a one-off opportunity to make an impact. Inadequate funding or late disbursements can derail a campaign completely, and a low-impact campaign may be a considerable waste of […]

On September 21, 2021, the USAID Health Financing Activity (HFA), which is implemented by ThinkWell, will sponsor and host the 7th Indonesian Health Economics Association (InaHEA) Biennial Scientific Meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to optimize resources to improve health outcomes, and in the face of new waves of COVID-19, this goal is of […]

Immunization is universally recognized as one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, yet low investment in immunization programs and variable vaccination coverage rates suggest that something else might be going on behind the scenes. Why is investment in immunization not as strong and sustainable as possible, even in settings where resources are generally available? […]

This piece originally appeared in P4H here. It was written by Christian Edward Nuevo, Maria Eufemia Yap, Matt Boxshall, and Nirmala Ravishankar.  Primary health care (PHC), first introduced through the Alma Ata Declaration of 1978, emphasizes that addressing health needs should be people-centered and multi-sectoral in approach. The recently passed Universal Health Care (UHC) Law […]

This piece originally appeared in P4H here. It was written by Dredge, R., Nuevo, C. E., and Paterno, A. R. The Philippine Universal Health Care (UHC) Law of 2019 introduced system-level reforms on health financing, particularly for the provider payment mechanisms of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). PhilHealth is the implementer of the National Health […]

On July 15, the 2021 International Health Economics Association (iHEA) Congress came to a close. After four busy days of health economists and health system leaders exchanging bold ideas, five ThinkWell attendees shared their main take-aways from the conference. Present & Future of Immunization Costing Laura Boonstoppel, Sr. Program Manager With vaccination on top of […]

This piece originally appeared in Nation here. It was written by Anne Musuva, ThinkWell’s country director for Kenya.  What you need to know: Currently, NHIF enrolment is mandatory among workers in the formal sector The informal sector employs over 80 per cent of Kenyans The Kenyan government has identified universal health coverage (UHC) as part […]