Open and Inclusive: Fair Processes for Financing Universal Health Coverage

Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting, the World Bank and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in partnership with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and the University of Oslo welcome you to a discussion on the key findings and policy implications of the report, “Open and Inclusive: Fair Processes for Financing Universal Health Coverage."

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Background

Does fairness in key areas of public policy making matter? What are the equity implication of key health financing decisions on the path towards the universal health coverage (UHC)? What can countries as diverse as Norway, Ukraine, Mexico, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Thailand learn from each other when it comes to making progress towards UHC through an open and inclusive process?

Decisions concerning health financing on the journey to UHC often face challenges and controversies. Differences of opinion about crucial choices are shaped by the values and interests of stakeholders affected by these decisions. Nevertheless, resolving these issues is crucial for maintaining momentum towards the goals of UHC. To tackle this challenge, establishing fair decision-making processes become crucial for achieving more equitable outcomes, strengthening the legitimacy of the decision-making process, building trust in governments, and promoting the sustainability of reforms. 

The report is developed to support countries across different income levels and regions in building a fairer process around health financing decisions for UHC. Its overarching aim is to provide policy makers with guidance on why fair processes matter and what constitutes a fair process for financing UHC. 

The seminar will take place in Oslo, Norway and will be streamed online, featuring high-level policy-makers, members of civil society organizations, and prominent academics from Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Ukraine, UK and Thailand as well as international organizations, including The World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Executive Summary (PDF)

Objectives

  • Present and thoroughly discuss the key contributions of the report “Open and Inclusive: Fair Processes for Financing Universal Health Coverage” 
  • Engage policy makers in a discussion on the value and challenges of open and inclusive decision-making, informed by their own experiences with implementing health financing reforms 
  • Highlight the significant impact civil society organizations and international partners have in promoting fairer processes towards UHC

Program

Program (including speaker images) PDF

Moderator: Trygve Ottersen | Executive Director, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)

Time Title  Speaker
11:30 Lunch and registration
12:30 Introduction Trygve Ottersen | Executive Director, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)
Welcome Jeanette H. Magnus | Head, Centre for Global Health, Sustainable Health Unit, University of Oslo (UiO)
Opening remarks
  • Juan Pablo Uribe | Global Director for Health Nutrition and Population, World Bank & Director, Global Financing Facility for Women Children and Adolescents (GFF)
  • Camilla Stoltenberg | Director General, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)
Procedural Fairness in Health Financing Decisions: Looking back and looking forward Christoph Kurowski | Global Lead for Health Financing, World Bank Group
Session 1: Open and inclusive: fair processes for financing universal health coverage
13:00 Key Findings from the Report Ole Frithjof Norheim | Professor & Director, Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting (BCEPS), Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen (UiB)
13:20 Commentary followed by a panel discussion/Q&A

Chair: Christoph Kurowski | Global Lead for Health Financing, World Bank Group

Commentators:

  1. Policy-maker perspective on why procedural fairness matters - Oyebanji Filani | Commissioner, Health & Human Services Ekiti State – Nigeria
  2. WHO’s perspective on fair processes towards UHC - Dheepa Rajan | Health System Adviser, WHO European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
  3. Civil society perspective: monitoring progress towards a fair process - John Kinuthia | Senior Program Officer, International Budget Partnership – Kenya
14:00 Break with light refreshments

Session 2: From Theory to Practice: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities for Open and Inclusive Decision-making

14:15 The Value and the Cost of Open and Inclusive Decision-Making  Alex Voorhoeve | Professor & Head of Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, London School of Economics (LSE)
14:30 Reflections and discussion with national policymakers 

Chair: John-Arne Røttingen | Ambassador for Global Health, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Country panelists:

  1. Jadej Thammatacharee | Secretary-General of National Health Security Office (NHSO) – Thailand
  2. Mercy Mwangangi | Former Deputy Minister of Health – Kenya, Health Systems Strengthening Director at AMREF
  3. Mizan Kiros | former Director-General, Ethiopia Health Insurance Agency – Ethiopia
  4. Olga Stefanyshyna | Member of the National Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) - Ukraine 
  5. Eduardo Gonzalez-Pier | Former Vice-Minister of Health, Ministry of Health – Mexico; Senior Technical Director Health Financing Palladium, and Global Fellow, Wilson Center – Mexico 
  6. Jan Frich | Executive Director, Division for Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health - Norway
15:35 Closing remarks  Paul Fife | Director, Section for Global Health, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)

Registration

Published Feb. 9, 2023 1:07 PM - Last modified June 22, 2023 2:06 PM