This chapter describes and seeks to take stock of a cluster of supply-side reforms that aimed to revitalize what was described by the Croatian Public Health Institute as a passive and low-impact primary care system. The cluster of reforms, which include a mix of organizational, primary care...

Sri Lanka's health system has a long track record of strong performance. This case study describes the main features and achievements of Sri Lanka's high-performing health system, to distill lessons for the rest of the world. UNICO case studies focus on a particular health coverage program. In...

This report reviews the current provider payment arrangements and policies of the Philippines, and the extent to which they have contributed to the achievement of the HFS goals. It focuses on the pillars of the HFS that center on provider payment issues, including what is paid for and by whom...

Following years of political instability, Cote d'Ivoire has recorded a rapid growth rate over the past seven years and entrenched its status as a lower-middle-income country. However, the country's epidemiological profile remains comparable to that of low-income countries, and health outcomes...

There is a policy measure that can simultaneously save millions of lives, reduce poverty, and increase countries' domestic resources for financing development. The policy measure consists of increasing excise tax rates on tobacco in order to reduce its affordability and, as evidence shows, lower...

The World Bank Group (WBG) Data Council endorsed the 2016-2030 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Action Plan in December 2015. The CRVS plan aims to achieve universal civil registration (CR) of births, deaths, and other vital events for all individuals by 2030. The WBG has been...

This paper is a comprehensive case study on how the Korean civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system facilitates achievement of universal health coverage (UHC) in the Republic of Korea. The case study briefly summarizes the resident registration system - the main part of the Korea...

The fast spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has resulted in the emergence of several hot-spots around the world. Several of these are located in areas associated with high levels of air pollution. This study investigates the relationship between exposure to particulate...

Rising obesity rates are one of the most challenging public health issues in many emerging economies. The extent to which the nutritional composition of food consumed away from home is behind this rise, and the links with socioeconomic status, is not yet well understood. This paper explores this...

"Obesity is a global ticking time-bomb with huge potential negative economic and health impacts, especially for the poor. Countries and global partners need to act urgently to address this ensuing epidemic with emphasis highlighting interventions that require corrective public action rather than...