How to design equitable social health protection?

5 h

This e-course is designed as an advocacy tool to empower current and future policymakers from Sub-Saharan Africa, and anyone interested in promoting universal social health protection

Why and approach

The EU Facility SOCIEUX+ responds to the needs of partner institutions worldwide by sharing European expertise. Notably, there has been a wave of requests from Sub-Saharan Africa regarding social protection for health. To address this demand and the ongoing challenges in preventing catastrophic health expenditures, SOCIEUX+ has developed an insightful e-course. This course is designed to equip participants with essential knowledge, practical tools, a proactive mindset, and effective communication skills. It also creates a vibrant space for collective knowledge sharing. Most importantly, the course shines a spotlight on equity, a vital yet often overlooked element in designing social health protection systems.

Key learnings

Health is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Universal social protection for health is crucial for building a fair and prosperous society. To achieve greater equity, we must focus on the gradual, long-term development of social protection in health. The state’s role is vital as a coordinator, regulator, and funder, especially for those in poverty situations. This effort must be supported by healthcare staff, civil society, the population, and all relevant stakeholders. Quality healthcare is the indispensable foundation – the condition sine qua non - for sustainable social health protection. Contributions should be based on the means of individuals or households, and people should use care according to real needs.

Structure and formats

This course is divided into six comprehensive sections, each designed to provide you with valuable insights:

Equity concepts and benefits:What are the key concepts related to equity, and what are the social, economic, and political benefits of prioritising equity?
Vision and legislation: How can we develop a common vision and establish a robust legislative framework?
Equitable financing: How can we ensure equity in the financing of social health protection?
Access to healthcare: How can we guarantee equitable access to healthcare beyond just financial aspects?
Institutional reforms: What institutional reforms are needed to support equity?
Monitoring and evaluation: How can we use indicators for effective monitoring, evaluation, and learning?

Each section is guided by specific learning objectives and offers a variety of engaging formats: illustrated fact sheets, interviews with renowned experts, videos presented by our AI avatars (Aïcha and Aiden), dramatizations, opinion questions, and optional deep-dive materials. Upon completing the course materials and the post-test, you can earn a certificate.

We hope this learning journey inspires you and empowers you to take impactful action.

Content experts and speakers

The experts who contributed to this course were:

Paul Bossyns, physician and senior expert in health and social protection at Enabel;
Giovanni Cascone, international consultant on social health protection;

In addition to them, the following experts where interviewed:

Serigne Diouf, health economist and director of operations at the National Agency for Universal Health Coverage, Senegal;
Regis Hitimana, advisor on health policy and health systems and lecturer at the University of Rwanda’s School of Public Health;
Lynda Rey, Professor and expert in Global Health and Evaluation;
Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgium’s Minister of Social Affairs and Health;

Languages

The course is available in French, English and Portuguese.

Access

Mobile phone or tablet users can access it by clicking the appropriate link: For Apple / For Android.