Championing Socio-economic Transformation Through Adequately Funded Healthcare Systems in Afar region

The Afar Regional State in Ethiopia faces challenges in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) due to conflict, the climate crisis, and weak health care infrastructure. Although health funding increased from 7.2% in 2014/15 to 13.48% in 2020/21, conflicts caused subsequent reductions. In 2023/24, the health budget allocation stabilized at 10%, below the Abuja Declaration’s 15% target.

Save the Children (SCI), in partnership with the Afar Regional Health Bureau, has led advocacy efforts to increase health funding and improve resource efficiency. High-level workshops and evidence-based strategies have mobilized regional leaders to prioritize health investments, crucial for advancing primary health care and socio-economic development in the region. This case study showcases the importance of budget advocacy efforts to increase health funding, abolish out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) for health and ultimately achieve universal health coverage in Ethiopia.