Civil Society Urges Governments to Strengthen Health Financing

Representing the WHO Director-General, Dr Kalipso Chalkidou, Director of Health Financing and Economics at WHO, said global health financing is under significant strain.

Nearly 300 civil society representatives have called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and Member States to strengthen domestic health financing, presenting four key recommendations designed to protect essential health services and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage.

The proposals were unveiled during an official side event at the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79) on 19 May 2026, where more than 120 participants from governments, academia, civil society and WHO gathered to discuss how countries can respond to growing financial pressures on healthcare.

Health investment placed at the centre of development

The recommendations are the result of a year-long consultation led by the WHO Civil Society Commission in partnership with Save the Children. The dialogue series was based on the Economics of Health for All approach, which promotes viewing health as an investment that strengthens economies, improves social well-being and supports sustainable development.

Representing the WHO Director-General, Dr Kalipso Chalkidou, Director of Health Financing and Economics at WHO, said global health financing is under significant strain. She noted that development assistance for health has fallen by an estimated 23 to 30 percent, with low-income countries facing the greatest impact while many people continue to rely heavily on out-of-pocket healthcare spending. She encouraged civil society organisations to continue advocating for stronger investment in health.

Professor Mariana Mazzucato of University College London reinforced the message, saying economies should be designed to deliver better health outcomes rather than treating healthcare as a supporting sector.

Countries highlight domestic leadership

The event featured examples of how national leadership can help protect health systems during financial shocks.

South Africa shared its response after reductions in USAID and PEPFAR funding. Dr Aquina Thulare, Technical Specialist for Health Economics and National Health Insurance, explained that the government quickly engaged with the Ministry of Finance to identify ways of protecting essential health services.

WHO Representative to South Africa Shenaaz El-Halabi said emergency funding helped maintain critical health workers and essential services during the funding transition.

Thailand presented a longer-term example of sustained investment in health and social protection. Dr Suwit Wibulpolprasert, Vice Chair of the Thailand Elderly Council Association, said consistent public investment had helped build one of the strongest universal health coverage systems among developing countries, stressing that practical action delivers greater results than declarations alone.

Youth representatives also called for greater involvement in health financing decisions, with Dr Angela M. Seiler Torres of the WHO Youth Council urging governments to include younger generations in shaping policies that will influence future health systems.

Four priorities for governments and WHO

During the event, Nidda Yusuf, Senior Health Financing Advisor at Save the Children, presented four collective priorities developed through consultations with civil society organisations worldwide.

The recommendations call for stronger protection of life-saving health services and increased investment in primary healthcare, including an additional 1 percent of GDP dedicated to primary healthcare. They also urge governments to strengthen domestic financing through clear national spending targets, progressive taxation, better public financial management and action against illicit financial flows.

Civil society organisations further called for permanent participation in health governance, including formal representation in decision-making bodies and greater financial support for grassroots and marginalised organisations.

The fourth recommendation focuses on improving transparency by publishing more detailed health financing data and encouraging Member States to submit national health accounts within one year of the reporting period ahead of the 2027 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage.

Momentum continues beyond the Health Assembly

Canadian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Patricia McCullagh said sustainable health financing depends on three interconnected elements: strong national leadership, a more effective global financing system and meaningful partnerships with communities and civil society.

The Commission and Save the Children also presented the recommendations to parliamentarians during the Global Parliamentary Forum, extending the discussion beyond the World Health Assembly.

With preparations now underway for the 2027 UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, civil society organisations and WHO partners plan to continue working with governments to strengthen domestic health financing, improve accountability and ensure healthcare investments reach the people who need them most.