Health economics and financing
Developing countries, faced with severe resource constraints, are struggling to provide adequate health care to their populations. Economic analysis can help policy makers ensure that limited resources are used to improve the health of the poor and reduce the economic burden of ill-health.
Approach
Our main area of work is the economic analysis of health interventions for tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health. We assist countries in identifying ways to finance these health services without negatively impacting the poor. Our work is policy-relevant and designed to build the capacity of partner organizations.
Focal points
Health systems research:
- Conducting economic evaluations of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, nutrition interventions and neglected diseases
- Estimating the costs of scaling up tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and nutrition interventions
- Understanding the impact that user costs have on health care utilization and the level of demand
- Examining the impact of health care financing on the poor
Capacity building:
- Providing training courses in health sector reform and financing
- Developing guides and training materials in conducting economic analysis for policy makers, planners, programme managers
Example
Cost effectiveness of TB control strategies
Working with the National Tuberculosis Control Programmes (NTPs) in Egypt and Syria, KIT examined the cost effectiveness of adopting Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS), the World Health Organization’s strategy for TB control. The project demonstrated that the DOTS strategy is cost-effective.
The data collected enabled the NTPs to promote their approach to policy makers and improve the efficiency of TB control. It also provided insight into the costs to patients of seeking care, ensuring that the DOTS strategy remained patient-centred. Researchers and technical staff from both NTPs and local institutes were involved, developing the capacity to carry out research independently in the future.
Projects
- The costing and economic evaluation of reproductive health
- Cost of collaborative tuberculosis - HIV activities in Tanzania and Ethiopia
Publications
- Toonen, J. - Bulletin 337 - Community financing for health care
- Vassall, A. - Tuberculosis services in partnership
- Vassall, A. - Cost-effectiveness of different treatment strategies for tuberculosis in Egypt and Syria
- De, S. - National health accounts: supporting NHA in Africa
- Compernolle, P. - Economische gevolgen van verhoogde externe financiële middelen voor HIV/AIDS in lage inkomens landen
- Paalman, M. - Towards pro-poor health planning in the context of macroeconomics and health
- Compernolle, P. - Economic impact of increased aid flows for HIV/AIDS in developing countries
- Vassall, A. - Estimating the resource needs of scaling-up HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis interventions in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review for national policy makers and planners
- Vanlerberghe, V. - Drug policy for visceral leishmaniasis: a cost-effectiveness analysis
- Meheus, F. - Costs of patient management of visceral leishmaniasis in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India
- Lutumba, P - Cost-effectiveness of algorithms for confirmation test of human African trypanosomiasis
- Rutten, M. - A comparative analysis of some policy options to reduce rationing in the UK's NHS
- Rutten, M. - Towards a comprehensive economic methodology for estimating the cost of human resources for health under alternative scenarios
- Rutten, M. - The economic impact of medical migration: a receiving country's perspective
- Rutten, M. - The economic impact of medical migration: an overview of the literature
- Borghi, J. - Methodological challenges in evaluating health care financing equity in data-poor contexts: Lessons from Ghana, South Africa and Tanzania
- McIntyre, D. - Beyond fragmentation and towards universal coverage: insights from Ghana, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania