Globally, 2 billion people face severe financial hardship when paying for health services and nearly 1 billion experience catastrophic out-of-pocket health spending. The cycle of poverty and inequality is exacerbated by a number of interconnected challenges including climate change, changing demographics, and pandemics. This session will explore the potential for financial inclusion organisations to be mobilised to strengthen primary care, alongside economic empowerment, to accelerate progress on health and poverty. It will spotlight new partnerships and models that have the potential to build communities that are more resilient.

 

Universal health coverage cannot be achieved by the public sector alone and current solutions are inadequate to tackle the interlinked challenges of poverty, ill health and health system capacity. Private sector innovation is critical in this post-pandemic era to build back better. Delegates will learn of the tremendous, untapped potential to leverage the trust and social capital of microfinance organisations to strengthen primary care delivery. Says Annie Wang:

 

“COVID was a wake-up call. We urgently need more innovation and more investment in order to provide quality, affordable essential health services to everyone – especially the 1 billion people experiencing catastrophic out-of-pocket health spending every year.”

 

A panel discussion will bring out perspectives from practitioners and researchers in the sector. The panellists will explore a critical question: how could an integrated approach to health and inclusive finance strengthen people’s resilience? They will discuss what needs to change for financial inclusion to be effectively leveraged to meet unmet health needs. There will be time for Q&A, for delegates to actively engage in the discussion. 

 

This session will leave delegates with actionable insights around how we can build greater resilience for people living in poverty by integrating inclusive finance and health solutions;

1.      How can we better understand health- and gender-intersectionality and other outcomes beyond financial sustainability in financial inclusion?

2.      What are the most effective partnership models that have the potential to increase access to finance for private health providers, and meet community health needs?  

3.      What are some promising health finance innovations that could reduce medical impoverishment and / or relieve pressure on health systems?  

4.      How can health solutions be a triple win for individuals, society and financial service providers?

 

·         Annie Wang, Head of Global Health at Opportunity International

·         Morseda Chowdhury, former director of BRAC Bangladesh Health Programme

·         Olga Biosca, Professor of Economics at the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health, Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU)

·         Deborah Foy, Executive Director, Opportunity International (moderator)