Social Finance and Health

Health systems around the world are under pressure due to rising input costs, increasing demand for services, and lack of universal health coverage. Social finance is an innovative sector that promotes new ways of banking and funding social and public services, with a potential under-recognized role in responding to global health challenges. This book aims to conceptualize and evidence different forms of social finance, such as microfinance and impact bonds, in funding and facilitating access to health services and acting on health. It will be essential reading for students, researchers, policymakers, and the general public interested in health systems and social finance.

Format: Hardback
Length: 140 pages
Publication date: 05 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Health systems worldwide are under immense pressure, grappling with soaring input costs, inadequate capacity to meet increasing demand for services, and widespread lack of universal health coverage. Moreover, health inequalities persist and, in some cases, are widening within countries. In response to these global health challenges, there is a pressing need for innovative initiatives. One such response is social finance, which focuses on generating social returns and promoting new approaches to banking and funding social and public services.

Social finance plays a largely underappreciated and potentially untapped role in addressing specific aspects of global health challenges. It encompasses activities such as funding and facilitating access to healthcare services, as well as taking action on health-related issues. The objectives of this book are to conceptualize and provide evidence of different forms of social finance, including microfinance and impact bonds, that are actively engaged in these endeavors. By critically engaging with ongoing debates and challenges, the book aims to contribute to shaping the future of social finance and its role in addressing global health needs.

This book is of paramount importance to students, researchers, policymakers, and the broader public who have an interest in, or work within, health systems and social finance. It offers valuable insights and perspectives that can help inform decision-making and drive positive change in these critical domains. By providing evidence-based arguments and exploring innovative solutions, this book aims to empower individuals and organizations to contribute to the betterment of global health outcomes.

Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032304731