The fifth Annual Health Financing Forum (AHFF) on the theme of was held virtually from 7-23 July 2020. Part I of the forum looked at health financing resilience, including steps countries have taken in their pandemic response and lessons learned to date. The six online sessions delivered over three weeks covered resource mobilization and prioritization, getting resources rapidly and flexibly to where they are needed, ensuring continuity of essential frontline services, telemedicine as a case study of purchasing agreements modification during COVID-19, the private sector in lower-middle income countries (LMICs) and financial risk protection for COVID-19, and building back better in resilience while learning from successes and mistakes. Each week concluded with learning round-ups organized to bring participants together to share their thoughts and experiences in small group discussions about the week's AHFF webinars.
For those not able to join at the selected Washington DC time, these sessions were recorded and can be viewed here. Session materials including background paper and presentations can be viewed here.
was also launched during Part I of the AHFF, providing an opportunity for participants to discuss and exchange ideas beyond the sessions through on and offline interactions around the forum topics. Questions from the AHFF sessions as responded to by presenters and panelists have also been consolidated and will be accessible to all participants once they join the CoP. Beyond the AHFF, the CoP provides a space for vital dialogue and discussion, one-on-one interactions, the sharing of experiences, and the deepening of collective knowledge on emerging priority areas on health financing for the COVID-19 response. It allows for the joint exploration of challenges and opportunities, and the sharing of policy responses and lessons learned. Join the COVID-19 HFRP CoP.
Part II, scheduled for later this year, will examine health financing vulnerability and sustainability in the context of the new normal, and the need to continue progress towards the SDGs. AHFF is being hosted by the World Bank Group, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Global Financing Facility (GFF).