Who Benefits from Removing User Fees for Health Care? Evidence from a Randomised Experiment in Ghana

Who pays for health care in Ghana?

BACKGROUND Financial protection against the cost of unforeseen ill health has become a global concern as expressed in the 2005 World Health Assembly resolution (WHA58.33), which urges its member states to "plan the transition to universal coverage of their citizens". An important element of financial risk protection is to distribute health care financing fairly in relation to ability to pay. Th...

Achievement of the WHO Goals in Iran’s Health Care System. Results From a Scoping Review

Background: Health systems are required to examine achievement of the goals based on appropriate frameworks. Assessment of health system in a country provides an opportunity to address the main mission through recognizing new needs and resolving existing gaps. Then this review study examines Iran’s health systems achievement of the goals set by the World Health Organization’s conceptual framewo...

Removing user fees for basic health services: a pilot study and national roll-out in Afghanistan.

BACKGROUND User fees for primary care tend to suppress utilization, and many countries are experimenting with fee removal. Studies show that additional inputs are needed after removing fees, although well-documented experiences are lacking. This study presents data on the effects of fee removal on facility quality and utilization in Afghanistan, based on a pilot experiment and subsequent nation...

Who pays for and who benefits from health care services in Uganda?

BACKGROUND Equity in health care entails payment for health services according to the capacity to pay and the receipt of benefits according to need. In Uganda, as in many African countries, although equity is extolled in government policy documents, not much is known about who pays for, and who benefits from, health services. This paper assesses both equity in the financing and distribution of ...

Removing user fees for primary care in Africa: the need for careful action.