Creating frameworks that promote the role of health economics in health policymaking across Africa
African and European researchers in the HEPI-Project support East and West African health systems to sustainably strengthen their health economic foundations.
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"Health systems in East and West Africa are stretched thin, facing high disease burdens and resource constraints that limit effective healthcare delivery. Wisely selecting interventions within a limited health budget directly translates to saving and improving more live", says Melf-Jakob Kühl, Postdoctoral Fellow in the project HEPI.
The project, coordinated by Professor Bjarne Robberstad of the Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, recently received 1.5 million Euro from the European Union’s Horizon scheme.
"The underlying problem is that in large parts of Africa, health outcomes remain far worse than in other regions of the world, with vast inequalities within and between countries. Despite representing 23 per cent of the global disease burden, the continent’s share of global health expenditures is less than 1 per cent", says Robberstad.
Equipping policymakers with access to economic insights
Robberstad explains that HEPI is a response to the statement of the African Leaderships Meeting, stating that sustainable and predictable health financing mechanisms are essential to build viable health systems and to achieve universal health coverage.
Kühl elaborates that policymakers often lack access to high-quality economic data that could help them prioritize healthcare investments strategically.
In addition, women remain underrepresented in health economics and decision-making processes, resulting in narrower perspectives, gaps in gender-sensitive healthcare data, and biased policy development.
"Without this evidence, critical decisions around resource allocation, program funding, and healthcare expansion are made without clear insight into costs, benefits, and potential health outcomes. These constraints result in health systems that are reactive rather than proactive, often unable to implement impactful policies that could prevent illness or improve quality of care", Kühl says.
By equipping policymakers with access to robust economic insights, the African European consortium behind the HEPI project aims to transform how health policies are designed, funded, and implemented, making systems more resilient and responsive to community needs, while integrating gender equality and inclusivity across its activities.
Building interactive platforms for health economists and policy makers
The project is led by the University of Bergen (UiB) and co-led by the University of York (UoY), alongside the East, Central, and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC).
"These partners are joined by key regional bodies, including the West African Health Organization (WAHO), and a network of universities and research institutions across Africa and Europe".
They are collaborating on the project to build Health Economics Communities of Practice (HE COPs) across East and West Africa, which will serve as interactive platforms where health economists and policymakers can co-create knowledge and build sustainable policy frameworks.
"HEPI also leverages the ELIXIR infrastructure to organize and manage health economic data, enabling seamless access for researchers and policymakers across the Europe and Africa. Through ELIXIR, the project will establish secure and accessible data repositories that connect regional institutions, ensuring essential data is readily available for evidence-based policy development. This infrastructure supports efficient data sharing and lays a sustainable foundation for long-term, data-driven health policies that can adapt to evolving public health needs", Kühl says.
Aiming to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare resource allocation
Edward Kataika is the Project Lead for the Thanzi Health Economics Program at ECSA-HC, the main African partner in HEPI. He is leading the establishment and strengthening of HE COPs in the project. He explains:
"Through these HE COPs, the project will contribute to an enhanced research ecosystem, by bringing researchers and policymakers closer together. HEPI will strengthen capacities to produce and use evidence focused on large population health problems across Africa".
By establishing HE COPs and equipping policymakers with tailored evidence, HEPI aims to make evidence-based policy a cornerstone of health systems across East and West Africa.
Kühl says: "Ultimately, the goal of HEPI is to foster a culture of evidence-informed decision-making by supporting economists in providing actionable, policy-relevant evidence and by sensitizing decision-makers to appreciate it".
Kataika predicts: "This project will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare resource allocation, enabling policymakers to make informed funding decisions based on transparent criteria, for example the probable cost-effectiveness of an intervention."
"Few grants exist that fund the kind of infrastructure-heavy work essential for lasting change"
The concept of creating a structured, systematic approach to prioritize health economic evidence in healthcare decision-making—while also building local capacities in the discipline—has been an ambition shared by the HEPI partners for some time.
"Few grants exist that fund the kind of infrastructure-heavy work essential for lasting change, which made the EU’s call for infrastructure projects between Africa and Europe an ideal opportunity", says Kühl.
Robberstad adds that the consortium aims to ‘play the long game’ with this application, laying the groundwork for sustainable impact, and they are thrilled that the EU recognizes the value of a balanced collaboration that amplifies the expertise of African and European partners alike.
"With this funding, we can not only advance our immediate project objectives but also build a self-sustaining framework that supports health economists and policymakers in making evidence-based decisions that will enhance healthcare resilience across East and West Africa", Kühl concludes.
