CVA and health: Case studies from Jordan, Burkina Faso and Bangladesh

Whilst Jordan’s health system is one of the strongest in the region, ensuring coverage of refugees under the national health insurance scheme has been problematic. Many refugees report financial constraints in paying user fees as the major barrier to accessing health care. The study concludes that whilst awaiting integration into national systems, CVA can be useful to improve access to and utilization of health services in humanitarian settings, by reducing direct and indirect financial barriers and/or by incentivizing the use of free preventive services.

The NGO HELP (Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe) has been active in Burkina Faso’s Sahel region since 2008 and has successfully carried out interventions to strengthen the health system and fight malnutrition. In 2018, HELP obtained funding from ECHO for a project to fight acute malnutrition in Sebba health district. Within the framework of this project, HELP introduced cash transfers to pay the costs of transporting children suffering from severe acute malnutrition to the Intensive Nutritional Recovery and Education Centre (CRENI) in Sebba.

The urban poor in Bangladesh face many complex health needs, including a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, with insufficient access to health care, and high out of pocket payments. High user fees and distance to travel are further barriers to accessing services and are a major reason why people postpone or forego healthcare. This study examines the experimental use of vouchers in Bangladesh by 3 different agencies to address health gaps for the extreme poor in urban areas.