Assessing Fiscal Space for National Health Insurance Funds in Sudan

Abstract

The Sudanese economy is currently witnessing significant shifts, as a result of political and social interactions. All these cast a shadow on the health status and thus on the financial situation of the fund for national health insurance. This study aims to examine the fiscal space potentiality for national health insurance in Sudan. The methodology used is fiscal space categories, and in-depth interviews with stakeholders and economic expert in March 2014. The results of fiscal space assessing for health reveal that, fiscal space realizing has a good potentiality through earmark tax implementation for cigarette. With the moderate in macroeconomic situations according to expected growth in GDP, the potentiality to generate fiscal space is moderate. The weak potentiality in re-prioritization of health in the government statement as a result of public revenue projected to decrease. The fiscal space for implementation of universal health coverage is limited due to large size of informal sector and poverty rate. The grant and aids is limited because the rate is low. The benefit for NHIF from efficiency gains is indirect; therefore the fiscal space is limited. This result quietly underlined in the in-depth interviews outcomes. The study recommends policy interventions to secure fiscal space creation in Sudan for NHIF.

References

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