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WHO/Europe supports Member States in assessing financing in their health systems, and works with them to design reforms, develop policy and monitor progress. Activities include direct technical assistance to countries through policy dialogue and analytical work, facilitating international meetings and country-to-country links to exchange evidence and experience, and working closely with other partners. This work pursues the ultimate goals of health systems (health gain, equity in health, financial protection, equity in financial contribution, responsiveness to citizens’ expectations and overall system efficiency) and the more specific objectives detailed in  the document “Health financing policy: a guide for decision-makers” and the World Health Report 2010 – “Health systems financing: the path to universal coverage”.

All Member States face difficult challenges and choices in financing their health systems. New medicines and other technological developments continually expand the range of health problems that can be treated, while ageing populations and rising expectations create upwards pressure on costs which stretch the limits of countries` ability to find adequate funding. Macroeconomic, demographic and fiscal capacity constrains governments in allocating more public revenue for the health system. As a result, all countries – whether high, medium or low income – seek to improve the organization of  health system financing.