Health financing policy is key to the health system as it determines: i) the sources of funds, and therefore how much is available to the sector; ii) how health risks are pooled; iii) who controls the funds and how they are allocated; iv) the equity of the sector funding, and hence indirectly, how many people will fall into poverty (or not) as a consequence of potential catastrophic expenditures to cover health services. Essentially, health financing is not just about raising money for health systems, but about achieving health policy objectives.

Against this backdrop, CABRI, in collaboration with the OECD, WHO and the Global Fund, organised a conference to bring together African finance and health policy officials, as well as industry experts and development partners, to discuss emerging issues in financing healthcare in Africa.