Publication: Positioning Nutrition with Universal Health Coverage: Optimizing Health Financing Levers
Date
2022-01
ISSN
Published
2022-01
Author(s)
Subandoro, Ali Winoto
Okamura, Kyoko
Mehta, Michelle
Ahluwalia, Naina
Finkel, Elyssa
Bulungu, Andrea L.S.
Dinsa, Girmaye
Okara, Latifat
Wilson, Shelby
Abstract
Achieving universal health coverage
(UHC) is a top global priority, and nutrition actions are a
critical part of meeting that goal. When delivered within
key windows of opportunity to improve health throughout the
life-course, essential nutrition actions play an important
role in reducing the burden of disease and preventing
permanent physical and cognitive impairments, ultimately
staving off future health care costs for both individuals
and health systems. Coverage and quality of nutrition
service delivery remains low, despite robust evidence of
cost-effective interventions. The health system, and most
especially primary health care (PHC), is essential for
delivering high-impact, cost-effective, nutrition-specific
interventions at scale. There are gaps in knowledge on how
to deploy resources more effectively to improve the delivery
of nutrition services as part of preventive and promotive
health care. A shift in focus is needed from the “what” and
“why” of scaling-up nutrition to the “how” of improving
nutrition services coverage and quality of nutrition
services delivered through the health system, and especially
PHC. Parts 1, 2, and 3 of this paper introduce the thesis
that health financing arrangements can be optimized to
ensure that distribution and utilization of health system
resources are aligned with nutrition objectives. Parts 4, 5,
and 6 of the paper explore the financing challenges and
options to address key financing and service delivery challenges.
Citation
“Subandoro, Ali Winoto; Okamura, Kyoko; Mehta, Michelle; Wang, Huihui; Ahluwalia, Naina; Finkel, Elyssa; Bulungu, Andrea L.S.; Dinsa, Girmaye; Okara, Latifat; Wilson, Shelby. 2022. Positioning Nutrition with Universal Health Coverage : Optimizing Health Financing Levers. Health, Nutrition and Population Discussion Paper;. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36867 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”