How to sustain health financing levels? What are the policy options and practical tools for Caribbean countries in confronting the health financing implications of fiscal challenges, climate change, population aging, technological advances and non-communicable diseases (NCDs)? Which countries are managing these challenges better than others?
These are some of the critical dilemmas and developments discussed by health policy advisors and managers at the 13th Caribbean Conference on National Health Financing Initiatives. The conference was held at The Valley in Anguilla from November 6-8, 2019.
Convened by the Health Economics Unit (HEU), Centre for Health Economics of The University of the West Indies and hosted by the Anguilla Social Security Board, the conference brought together health, social security, university and business professionals to share knowledge, increase understanding and enhance national expertise and regional collaboration in designing and managing national health financing initiatives.
The conference was officially opened by the Premier of Anguilla, Mr Victor Banks, who emphasised his government’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a time when demands were expanding from all sectors for already constrained resources.
Presentations on the overall theme “Fiscal Space and Sustainability in Health Financing” were given by experts and practitioners from the Pan American Health Organisation; UN Defeat NCDs Partnership; Morneau Shepell Inc; the HEU, Centre for Health Economics; and other facilitators and frontline managers of national health financing systems in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.
The Caribbean Conference on National Health Financing Initiatives emerged from calls for collaborative measures by Caribbean Social Security Organisations at their annual meeting in Belize City in 2005. The HEU, Centre for Health Economics (since 2011) is the coordinator of the conference.
Conference presentations may be accessed from the website http://conferences.sta.uwi.edu/ healthfinancing/. Other conference queries may be directed to the HEU, Centre for Health Economics Office Tel: 1 (868) 662 9459 or 1 (868) 645 7351
