Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Burkina Faso Shuts Down World Bank-Driven Results-Based Health Financing

Similar articles

In a significant shift, Burkina Faso has officially discontinued the Results-Based Financing (RBF) initiative that was championed by the World Bank. Originally launched in 2011, the program aimed to bolster the nation’s healthcare system and pave the way toward universal health coverage (UHC). However, after seven years, the initiative was halted due to various challenges and mixed outcomes.

Origins and Implementation of RBF

The RBF strategy was introduced as an external policy intervention, primarily advocated by international stakeholders rather than domestic health authorities. This approach involved a consortium of actors operating independently from the Ministry of Health’s established organizational structure. The intention was to incentivize healthcare providers through financial rewards tied to specific health indicators, thereby improving overall healthcare delivery.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Assessing the Impact and Challenges

Despite the ambitious goals, the impact of RBF on Burkina Faso’s health indicators remained inconclusive. While there were some improvements in certain areas, the program failed to create a sustainable pathway toward UHC. Key challenges included low adoption rates among essential healthcare actors and a lack of integration with national health policies, leading to its eventual suspension in 2018.

  • Limited engagement from local healthcare providers hindered the effectiveness of RBF.
  • External control over the initiative led to disconnects with national health priorities.
  • Inadequate alignment with existing health infrastructure impeded sustainable implementation.

The discontinuation of RBF underscores the complexities involved in implementing externally driven health financing models within diverse local contexts. It highlights the critical need for programs to be adaptable and closely aligned with the country’s unique healthcare landscape and stakeholder dynamics.

Developing robust health financing mechanisms requires a nuanced understanding of local needs and active participation from all key actors within the healthcare system. Future initiatives aiming to achieve UHC in Burkina Faso would benefit from greater inclusivity and collaboration, ensuring that financing strategies are both effective and sustainable.

By learning from the RBF experience, policymakers and international partners can better design interventions that resonate with national priorities and foster long-term improvements in healthcare delivery. Emphasizing local ownership and context-specific solutions will be essential in advancing towards comprehensive universal health coverage in Burkina Faso.

Source


This article has been prepared with the assistance of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author.

Latest article