Health Financing Training Course

This course equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills required to understand, design, and manage health financing systems effectively. It focuses on health economics, budgeting, resource mobilization, financial sustainability, and equitable allocation of health resources. Participants will learn how financing mechanisms influence access, quality, and efficiency of healthcare delivery systems.

Target Groups

• Health economists and planners
• Ministry of Health officials and policymakers
• Hospital and health facility administrators
• NGO and donor-funded program staff
• Public health professionals
• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) officers
• Insurance and social protection officers
• Finance and budget officers in health sector
• Consultants in health systems and financing
• Students in public health, economics, and health management

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand principles of health financing systems
• Analyze different health financing models and mechanisms
• Improve resource mobilization strategies for health systems
• Develop and manage health sector budgets effectively
• Apply cost analysis and efficiency techniques in health programs
• Promote equity and financial protection in healthcare
• Strengthen financial sustainability of health systems
• Evaluate health financing policies and reforms
• Integrate financing with health planning and service delivery
• Support decision-making using health economic evidence

Course Modules

Module 1: Introduction to Health Financing

• Definition and scope of health financing
• Importance of financing in health systems
• Key principles of health economics
• Relationship between financing and health outcomes
• Overview of global health financing trends

Module 2: Health Financing Systems and Models

• Tax-based financing systems
• Social health insurance models
• Private health insurance systems
• Out-of-pocket payment systems
• Mixed health financing models

Module 3: Health Budgeting and Financial Planning

• Health sector budgeting processes
• Budget formulation and execution
• Medium-term expenditure frameworks
• Cost estimation and allocation methods
• Financial planning for health programs

Module 4: Resource Mobilization for Health

• Domestic resource mobilization strategies
• Donor funding and external assistance
• Innovative financing mechanisms
• Public-private partnerships in health financing
• Sustainability of funding sources

Module 5: Costing and Economic Evaluation

• Cost analysis in health programs
• Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis
• Efficiency in resource utilization
• Economic evaluation of interventions
• Prioritization based on value for money

Module 6: Health Insurance and Risk Pooling

• Principles of risk pooling
• Health insurance system design
• Benefit packages and coverage
• Equity in insurance systems
• Expanding access through insurance schemes

Module 7: Financial Management in Health Systems

• Financial management principles in healthcare
• Accounting and reporting systems
• Internal controls and auditing
• Fraud prevention and financial accountability
• Strengthening financial governance

Module 8: Equity and Financial Protection

• Catastrophic health expenditures
• Poverty and health financing
• Universal Health Coverage (UHC) financing strategies
• Subsidies and social protection mechanisms
• Reducing financial barriers to care

Module 9: Health Financing Policy and Reforms

• Policy development in health financing
• Reform strategies and implementation challenges
• Political economy of health financing
• Evaluation of financing reforms
• Global best practices in financing systems

Module 10: Monitoring, Evaluation and Future Trends in Health Financing

• Monitoring health financing performance
• Indicators for financial sustainability
• Data use in financing decisions
• Digital health financing systems
• Emerging trends in global health financing and innovation