fsrforum • volume 14 • issue #4
Inclusive finance and access to health care for all Prof. dr. Leo de Haan - Rector ISS*
On the initiative of H.R.H Princess Máxima of The Netherlands, in her capacities as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) and Chair of the Curatorium of the Prince Claus Chair, and Professor Stella Quimbo, the current Prince Claus Chairholder at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam an Access to Health Insurance Conference was held on the Woudenstein campus on June 5. The conference was organized by ISS, the Institute of Health Policy and Management, the Rotterdam Global Health Initiative, the Curatorium of the Prince Claus Chair, PharmAccess International, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the UNSGSA.
The conference originated from the joint interest of H.R.H. Princess Máxima and Professor Quimbo in inclusive finance and health insurance and was designed to bring together experts from these two fields for the first time ever. Their idea was that closer collaboration between these two fields would result in cross-fertilization and synergies and bring us closer to finding workable solutions to a seemingly intractable problem. The conference succeeded in bringing together some 100 experts in financial systems, health care and development in an attempt to move forward the agenda on developing equitable health insurance mechanisms that are available and accessible to all populations around the world. The problem statement for the conference made clear that “health care insurance – whether public or private –is not common in developing countries. It accounts for a fraction of health expenditure— only 4% in Sub-Saharan countries. Without health insurance, people endure high out-of-pocket expenditures. Especially among lower income households, these expenses result in adverse effects on food consumption and other basic needs. Or, people simply forgo care altogether, which can lead to longer-term health issues, even bigger expenses and, potentially, reduced earning capacity and incomes. On the supply side, health systems are too often fragmented. They may lack quality standards and a financial basis that facilitates the development of services that can meet the needs of the population”. Recently, the ISS expertise in research and teaching on access to health care and health insurance was reinforced with the appointment of Professor Stella Quimbo from the Philippines, as the new ISS Prince Claus Chairholder in Development & Equity. Her inaugural address dealt with the effects of various policy measures in the Philippines on the health of children. She demonstrated convincingly how a number of policy measures in health care had a positive effect on children’s health. Her findings also formed an important input for the Access to Health Insurance conference. Professor Quimbo’s work is a fine example of what makes ISS strong. The driving force is the combination of excellence in academic research and teaching, with the will to make a difference in practice. Put simply, a key element of the ISS mission is to contribute to solving major social challenges such as the eradication of poverty and the provision of universal health care coverage.
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