WHO Barcelona course on health financing 2012

WHO/Europe’s Barcelona Office for Health Systems Strengthening is hosting the second Barcelona Course in Health Financing from 14 to 18 May 2012. 

Two sessions will be web cast live on the Health Systems Financing web site.

The course reviews effective policy instruments to improve health system performance through better health financing policy. The course is built around the following modules:

1. designing a benefit package – equity, affordability and transparency
2. raising revenues – thinking outside the box
3. pooling health revenues – the costs of fragmentation
4. purchasing – getting more health for the money
5. coordinating reform – aligning policy instruments with policy objectives.

The special theme of the course is moving towards and sustaining universal coverage, with a highlight on how to counter the impact of economic downturns.  WHO Member States pledged to move towards universal coverage at the 2005 World Health Assembly and there is renewed interest in this area of strengthening health systems. For example,  the 2010 world health report  focused on universal coverage. The course will integrate this topic in each of its teaching blocks.

The course is designed for policy-makers in the health sector, policy-makers in government in charge of social policy, senior managers of service-provider organizations and experts involved in health system reform. The course will be delivered in English.