The African Health Economics and Policy Association (AfHEA) has been awarded a two and half year project- Support African Health Economics Association for research on health financing issues -funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The charitable purpose is to provide quality analytical work and enhance AfHEA’s capacity to conduct research that will fill in the existing knowledge gaps on effective health financing approaches to achieve optimal health outcomes in African Countries.

Dear Colleagues,

We would like, on behalf of the Board and Executive Committee of the African Health Economics and Policy Association (AfHEA), to extend a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2015 to all of you.

This policy brief is produced by AfHEA and draws on the proceedings of the Second AfHEA conference, held in Saly – Senegal from 15 to 17 March 2011. It is supplemented by relevant literature where necessary. It was compiled by Drs Irene Agyepong, Chris Atim, Francois Diop, Travor Mabugu, Diane McIntyre and Alice Soumare. Contents Why is universal coverage important for African countries? What progress has been made towards achieving UC and what are the remaining challenges in moving towards…

Welcome to AfHEA’s new web site! I hope you will agree the new site is more pleasant and easier to navigate. This is part of a program of redevelopment of the web site as well as of AfHEA’s system of producing and using electronic information. It will include more interactive elements and specifically, under a separate contract with a research firm currently being recruited under competitive bidding, the dissemination of state of the art research as well as grey literature…

Plenary 1 Speaker 09:00-11:00   Main conference hall Adae KesieOfficial opening ceremonyOpening speech by His Excellency the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr John D Mahama   11:00-11:30 BREAK / FAMILY PHOTO / POSTER PRESENTATIONS   Parallel session 1 (Tuesday, 11:30 – 13:00) PS 01/1 User Fees in Zambia: behaviour and experiences of communities and health care providersMary Hadley, Collins Chansa Mary Hadley PS 01/2 Does the free delivery and caesarean policy in Senegal offset user fees constraints…

Code Title Authors PT 01 Making community health insurance equitable and pro-poor – lessons from the Dangme west health insurance scheme Irene Akua Agyepong, Solomon Narh Bana, Evelyn Ansah, Edward S. Bruce and Margaret Gyapong PT 02 Health Sector Reforms in Developing Countries: A Study of the Financial, Institutional and Social Dynamics of Mutual Health Organisations in Ghana. Augustine Adomah-Afari PT 03 Health care financing incidence Analysis in Africa: The experience of Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa James Akazili, Gemini…