World Health Report: Research for Universal Health Coverage

World Health Report: Research for Universal Health Coverage

The World Health Report 2013 is now available in Portuguese. The Report focuses on the importance of research in advancing progress towards universal health coverage, which means that citizens obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them. The report identifies the benefits of increased investment in health research by low- and middle-income countries through case studies from around the world incl. Mozambique (page 108), and proposes ways to further strengthen this type of research and information sharing.

Investing in country-specific research for universal health coverage is important because despite a multinational commitment to universal coverage, it remains unclear how to provide access to health services and financial risk protection to all people in all settings. Many questions about universal coverage require local answers (e.g. how the system should be structured, health-seeking behaviours, how to measure progress). Furthermore, most current research is invested in new technologies rather than in making better use of existing knowledge turning it into practical applications.

WHO Mozambique supports research, information sharing and knowledge networks though its Knowledge Management and Sharing programme. Specific initiatives include: 

HINARI: Access to health research databases for educational institutions
Blue Trunk Library: access to updated clinical guidelines for health practitioners
ePORTUGUESe: a collaborative platform promoting South-South cooperation and access to health-related information in Portuguese through the Virtual Health Library.

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