Countries moving towards universal health coverage (UHC) face challenging decisions about what benefits they will include and cover especially in the current fiscal and economic climate. Countries need easy-to-use and comprehensive tools to help them think through the path to expand (or contract) benefits for their country.
The investment case for bolstering global systems for pandemic preparedness and response is clear. Yet, COVID-19 exposed gaping holes in our collective ability to respond to pandemic threats. And even after more than 6.9 million deaths from COVID-19 and trillions in economic losses, financing and policy arrangements for preparedness remain insufficient. Policymakers still need to reckon with the lessons learned during recent outbreaks to ensure stronger systems going forward.
In a speech at CGD, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced a new USAID initiative: promoting primary health care systems in developing countries. Will this welcomed initiative last beyond her tenure at the agency?
Over three years since it emerged, is the COVID-19 pandemic over? Amanda Glassman speaks with Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, about ending the emergency phase of the pandemic. Then Javier Guzman joins to reflect on the first season of Pandemic Proof.