European and African financing for health and universal health coverage
Authors
In this paper, Katja Sergejeff, Karim Karaki, Martin Ronceray and Philomena Apiko provide an overview of current European and African commitments and efforts in financing health as well as recommendations for health investments. It is clear that it is not about merely increasing funding, but about the quality by ensuring alignment with local needs and priorities, avoiding fragmentation and better recognising the role of civil society.
Summary
Universal health coverage (UHC) is fundamental to realising health as a human right under the
Sustainable Development Goals, but its implementation is staggering, with 4.5 billion people lacking
essential health services in 2021 and two billion facing financial hardships due to out-of-pocket health
spending. Financing health systems is further complicated by conflicts, health crises and budget
constraints, hindering investments in the face of growing health needs and changing priorities.
This paper provides an overview of current European and African commitments and efforts in financing
health, including achieving UHC and supporting social health protection and sexual and reproductive
health and rights. Building on this, it also provides recommendations for securing and increasing
investments in health, both for European and African actors. Beyond merely increasing funding, the paper points out the importance of quality of financing, for instance, by ensuring alignment with local needs and priorities, avoiding fragmentation and better recognising the role of civil society.
The EU has demonstrated a clear added value as a global health actor, stemming from its influence
in multilateral settings, its track record and its ability to pull together the resources and expertise from
various member states. Going forward, it will be crucial to leverage these assets fully and recognise the
potential of the support to health for the EU’s partnership with Africa.
