Common goods for health

There is a need for external funders and governments to prioritize investments in core health system functions that are fundamental to protecting and promoting health and well-being. As a call for action, WHO, in close collaboration with external partners, has developed a knowledge programme on financing common goods for health.

This knowledge programme articulates, provides the technical and economic rationale for, and identifies sources and modalities of financing for core common goods for health. Due to the broad-based benefits of these common goods, related externalities, and often multi-sectoral nature, there is a need for targeted action and investments by both governments, as well as the global community.

An initial output of this work is a series of related papers published in a special issue of Health Systems & Reform to coincide with the September 2019 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which includes a high-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Financing common goods for health is a fundamental for health and the foundation of UHC.