WHA78 Approves Resolution to Strengthen Global Health Financing

24 May 2025, Geneva

Context

At the 78^th World Health Assembly, Member States adopted a landmark resolution on “Strengthening health financing globally,” reaffirming their commitment to delivering universal health coverage (UHC) by advancing people-centred primary health care. This decision comes at a critical moment as external aid faces a potential 40 % reduction in 2025, even as many countries report rising out-of-pocket health spending and disruptions to essential services :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.

Key Elements of the Resolution

• Mobilize Sustainable Financing: Calls for diversified funding sources—national budgets, pooled domestic revenues, and innovative financing—to replace shrinking external aid :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
• Protect Citizens from Financial Hardship: Emphasizes prepayment and risk-pooling mechanisms to eliminate catastrophic out-of-pocket payments and ensure fair financial protection :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
• Strengthen Primary Health Care: Prioritizes investment in community-level services—prevention, health promotion, and first-contact care—anchored in the principles of the Alma-Ata and Astana Declarations on primary health care :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.
• Align with UHC Goals: Reiterates the SDG Target 3.8 aim that all people can use quality health services without financial hardship :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.

Implications for Member States

Countries must now embed these financing strategies into national health plans, ensuring budgets protect the poor and vulnerable. Strengthening domestic revenue collection—through progressive taxation, earmarked levies, or social health insurance—is vital to compensate for cuts in donor funding.

Ministries of Health and Finance are urged to collaborate on multi-sectoral approaches, integrating health-impact assessments into broader economic and fiscal policies, and leveraging data for transparent resource tracking.

Next Steps

1. Finalize national health financing strategies by end-2025.
2. Report progress annually to WHO’s Health Financing Forum.
3. Engage civil society and communities in budget-setting and oversight.

Together, these measures will help safeguard progress towards UHC and ensure resilient, people-centred primary health care systems worldwide.

Sources / Scientific References

1. World Health Organization. “Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly – Daily update: 24 May 2025.” WHO Newsroom, 24 May 2025. (Resolution on strengthening health financing; external aid reduction; out-of-pocket spending) :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
2. World Health Organization. “Universal health coverage (UHC).” Fact sheet, WHO Newsroom, April 2025. (Definition and SDG Target 3.8 on UHC) :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
3. World Health Organization. “Primary health care.” Questions & Answers, WHO Newsroom, 21 Jan 2020; and “Primary health care.” Wikipedia entry (Alma-Ata Declaration). (People-centred PHC principles) :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}