From Double Shock to Double Recovery: Government Health Spending Trends and Outlook

The reports reveal troubling trends across low-income countries (LICs) and lower middle-income countries (LMICs), exposing serious risks to the necessary growth of public investments in health. For many countries, achieving the SDG health targets is increasingly out of reach, underscoring the urgent need for decisive action to address mounting financing challenges. With these targets at risk, the World Bank Group remains committed to helping countries deliver quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030 as part of our global mission to ensure a basic standard of care throughout every stage of life.

The “From Double Shock to Double Recovery” discussion paper series examines the latest trends and outlooks in government health spending, launched in response to intensifying macro-fiscal pressures and escalating development challenges initially triggered by the COVID-19 crisis.  The series also explores policy options for countries aiming to secure sustainable financing pathways toward the health SDGs amid these ongoing challenges.

 The first outlook was published in March 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 crisis and included a comprehensive review of health financing policies aimed at maintaining or increasing health investments during macroeconomic downturns. A technical update, “Widening Rifts,” followed in September 2021, and a second update, “Old Scars, New Wounds,” was released in September 2022.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/health/publication/from-double-shock-to-double-recovery-health-financing-in-the-time-of-covid-19#

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