[EQ] Heartfile Health Financing: Striving to achieve health equity in Pakistan

Heartfile Health Financing: Striving to achieve health equity in Pakistan

Sania Nishtar, Faraz Khalid, Anis Kazi, Naheed Batool, Andleeb Ikram, Ihtiram ul Haque Khattak, Qazi Asmat Isa, Hamid Jaffar

Background paper: WHO - World Conference on Social Determinants of Health, 19-21 October 2011, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Available online PDF [18p.] at: http://bit.ly/rs9lHI

“……More than 73% of Pakistan’s population pays out-of-pocket to access healthcare. Catastrophic expenditures on health, medical indebtedness and medical impoverishment are therefore, a common occurrence. More than 40 million individuals run the risk of spending catastrophically on healthcare. A number of factors compel action as social divides widen in Pakistan.
Social protection is a government priority but existing mechanisms have limitations. The state’s health related social protection system in place centers on Zakat and Bait-ul-Mal. These have narrow coverage and are plagued by a number of challenges. An NGO think-tank has created a mechanism to fill this gap through its recently established program, Heartfile Health Financing.

This is a health-equity fund based demand side system, which enables registered doctors/hospitals to seek financial help for patients who run the risk of spending catastrophically on healthcare in an expedient and transparent manner.

The system comprises three components—a technology platform, a system of validating poverty and prioritizing patients, and a health equity fund.

The objective at inception was two fold: one, to develop a system, which at the humanitarian level could protect people against medical impoverishment and meet an urgent need amongst the poor. Secondly, at the development level, to develop a health relevant social protection system which suited the specific needs of Pakistan and could help broaden the base of pooling for health.. …..”

Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

 *      *     *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]
Washington DC USA

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho
Blog SDOH: http://bit.ly/nA9cdx

IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.

Thank you.