Liberia
Post-Conflict Health Sector Reform
Liberia is emerging from more than 15 years of conflict. A heavily donor-dependent country with an under-five mortality rate of 235/100,000 (compared to the sub-Saharan average of 102/100,000) and one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world (580/100,000), Liberia is currently taking action to transform and strengthen its weakened health sector.
The Liberian health system faces critical post-conflict financing issues. The government contribution to total health expenditures, estimated at 16.8%, is one of the lowest in the world (the average for sub-Saharan Africa is 50%). Donors finance 50% of total health expenditures and households 33.3%. About 80% of the health services are provided by NGOs. Due to the high level of poverty (GDP per capita is US$130 compared to $879 for sub-Saharan Africa and $373 for low-income countries), Liberia’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) has suspended the administration of user fees at the primary health care level.
Health Systems 20/20 will support the government of Liberia to finalize the ongoing community survey on health-seeking behavior and expenditures, to develop a general National Health Accounts (NHA) estimation, to explore performance-based financing as a means of quality assurance, and to develop a national health financing policy.
Health Systems 20/20 Launches NHA in Liberia
Apr 1 2008Working directly with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Health Systems 20/20 has successfully launched National Health Accounts (NHA) in Liberia. NHA is a tool being used today in more than 50 low- and middle-income countries to measure total public and private national health expenditures. Click here to read more about our work in Liberia.
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