The health economics and health care financing programme works to promote the use of economic principles in advancing health and enhancing social protection in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The programme was established in response to an increasing awareness of the role played by economic analysis and finance in enhancing the performance of health care systems.

This increased awareness has been reflected in two landmark World Health Reports. The World Health Report 2000 recognized “financing” as one of the four main inputs into any health care system, while the World Health Report 2010 examined health systems financing, with a focus on the goal of universal coverage of health care.

The regional programme has succeeded in introducing and promoting economic analysis as part of health system thinking in the Region. This has helped institute a culture of accountability for equity and efficiency in the deployment and use of limited human and financial resources. The programme provides technical support to countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region in developing health financing options that move towards the goal of universal coverage.

The programme also works with ministries of health, economics, welfare, planning and finance, along with social security and social health insurance organizations and academia, to build national capacities in generating, supporting and promoting knowledge for evidence-based health financing policies.

World Health Report 2000

World Health Report 2010