Health systems financing and the path to universal coverage

Donor commitments to health have increased more than fourfold since the Millennium Declaration was signed in September 2000, reaching more than US$ 20 billion in 2008.1 Despite this, progress towards some of the health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has been disappointing in many settings.2 The simple act of raising more international funds cannot, by itself, achieve the Goals if the health system is too weak to support the rapid scale-up of service coverage.3 Where there are insufficient health workers and health facilities, or where people can’t obtain health care because they cannot afford to pay, supporting actions are needed. Domestic health financing systems must be robust enough to attain and…