Master Course: Financing for universal health coverage (UHC) in the context of cancer control

Course description

Health financing, one of the seven building blocks of a well-functioning health system, can be a key policy instrument to improve health and reduce health inequalities if aimed at removing financial barriers to accessing health care and preventing financial hardship. 

The long-term and complex nature of cancer and other chronic and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) paired with the rising burden of NCDs, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, pose serious financial challenges to the equitable provision of cancer care and protection of households from catastrophic expenditure. 

By discussing the financing component of the health system and its core functions, and focusing on the practical implications for advocacy, this course will highlight how health financing can be used as a policy-making tool to pursue universal coverage in cancer care. 

This course is a revamp of the version delivered in 2021, updated with new material and resources, thanks to collaboration with ThinkWell and support by MSD.  

This course is accredited with the Accreditation Council of Oncology in Europe (ACOE). Participants who complete the course will gain 7 credits for continuous medical education.

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course participants will be able to:  

1. Understand the role health financing can play in progressing towards universal health coverage in cancer care  

2. Describe the theoretical underpinnings of health financing and its core functions and display a better understanding of how cancer care is financed 

3. Analyse and reflect on their own health financing systems, assess the challenges it faces, and explore alternative policy options. 

4. Utilise simple frameworks and tools to conceptualise, design and implement budget advocacy strategies relevant to their contexts. 

Course Syllabus 

Module 1: Overview of health financing and its relevance for universal health coverage  

• What is health financing and why is it relevant

• What are the major principles of UHC, and what role is financing playing in delivering it

Module 2: Health financing, its core functions and implications for advocacy  

• What is the fiscal space for health

• Functions of health financing

• Innovative financing 

Module 3: Strategies and guidance to finance cancer care 

• How are countries investing in cancer

• Overview of cancer care financing, standard funding sources 

• Common challenges in cancer care financing and opportunities for improvementes

• Increasing effectiveness of investments in cancer

Module 4: Budget advocacy: understanding and influencing the health budgeting process 

• Introduction to budget advocacy 

• What is the health budget process

• What does a health budget look like and how do we read them

• Budget advocacy in action

Module 5: Developing your advocacy plan 

• Step-to-step guide to build your advocacy ask around health financing for UHC in the context of cancer control

Course delivery

This course will run over 10 weeks between September and November 2023 and is divided in five modules. Modules are released every two weeks within the period to ensure sequential, synchronous learning. Each module combines pre-recorded educational material, short quizzes, assignments and an interactive live session in which participants will be able to connect with each other and the expert presenters.

Time commitment required: approx. 1.5 hour per week.

The course is delivered exclusively in English.

Target audience

The course is primarily designed for those working on cancer advocacy from civil society organisations, including representatives of cancer societies and patient groups, as well as those engaged in cancer policy work and research, whether in government, the public sector or academia.  

Participants are expected to have some level of work experience and knowledge of health systems and health financing.  

This course is kindly supported by MSD.