In a bid to strengthen health financing in the Caribbean, the Alliance for Primary Health Care (A4PHC) convened a two-day forum in Washington, D.C., bringing together representatives from health and finance ministries across the region. The Caribbean Health Financing Forum aimed to explore avenues for comprehensive health financing strategies, addressing challenges such as low public health spending, high out-of-pocket expenses, and vulnerability to external economic shocks.
Speakers highlighted the need for fiscal space analysis, domestic resource mobilization, and enhanced financial risk protection to build resilient health systems anchored in Primary Health Care. Country-specific presentations and experiences were shared, focusing on strategic purchasing, data utilization, and driving reforms in health financing at the primary care level.
The forum emphasized the urgent need for data generation, capacity building in health financing, and exchange of experiences to advance health financing policies within the framework of universal health and strong primary health care-based resilient health systems in the Caribbean.
With a commitment to collaboration and support, PAHO, the World Bank, and the IDB vowed to continue the dialogue and assist countries in implementing national strategies aimed at improving health and finance. The outcome of the forum marked a crucial step towards achieving universal health coverage and resilient health systems in the Caribbean.
WHO/ Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
