Reports Outline Global Economics Study Findings from London School of Economics and Political Science (The Political Path To Universal Health Coverage: Power, Ideas and Community-based Health Insurance In Rwanda)

2019 APR 18 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Economics - Global Economics have been published. According to news reporting out of London, United Kingdom, by NewsRx editors, the research stated, “Rwanda is the country with the highest enrolment in health insurance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Pivotal in setting Rwanda on the path to universal health coverage (UHC) is the community-based health insurance (CBHI), which covers more than three-quarters of the population.”

Financial support for this research came from Effective States and Inclusive Development (ESID) Research Centre at the University of Manchester through a DFID grant.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the London School of Economics and Political Science, “The paper seeks to explain how Rwanda, one of the poorest countries in the world, managed to achieve such performance by understanding the political drivers behind the CBHI design and implementation. Using an analytical framework relying on political settlement and ideas, it engages in process-tracing of the critical policy choices of the CBHI development. The study finds that the commitment to expanding health insurance coverage was made possible by a dominant political settlement. CBHI is part of the broader efforts of the regime to foster its legitimacy based on rapid socio-economic development. Yet, CBHI was chosen over other potential solutions to expand access to healthcare because it was also the option the most compatible with the ruling coalition core ideology. The study shows that pursuing UHC is an eminently political process but explanations solely based on objective ‘interests’ of rulers cannot fully account for the emergence and shape of social protection programme. Ideology matters as well. Programme design compatible with the political economy of a country but incompatible with ideas of the ruling coalition is likely to run into political obstructions.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The study also questions the relevance for poor countries to reach UHC relying on pure CBHI models based on voluntary enrolment and community management.”

For more information on this research see: The Political Path To Universal Health Coverage: Power, Ideas and Community-based Health Insurance In Rwanda. World Development, 2018;106():87-98. World Development can be contacted at: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; World Development - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/world-development/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting B. Chemouni, London School of Economics and Political Science, Dept. of International Developments, Connaught House, Houghton St, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.01.023. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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