26
Jan

Sustainable financing, including health taxes, is increasingly critical to meet the growing demand for comprehensive health services in Asia and the Pacific. Population changes—such as increased longevity, urbanization, migration, and a rising burden of non-communicable diseases—are driving higher healthcare costs, highlighting the need for additional value-added taxation to support health determinants. This underscores the urgent need for robust financing mechanisms, such as health taxes, to ensure affordable and integrated health and social services while promoting long-term financial sustainability.

Health taxes are a tool for transforming a country's health system. They provide a reliable funding stream for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), shifting the system's focus from a reliance on curative care to a stronger emphasis on preventive health. This transformation is necessary to meet the challenges posed by changing demographics and the rising burden of NCDs.

Healthcare systems are facing increased demand as a result of multiple factors, including more individuals preferring to age in place and rising rates of chronic diseases, developing a sustainable financing mechanism for long-term care - needs is an urgent policy priority. In order to address these challenges, countries are exploring various financing options, including health taxes to meet the growing needs for health and care services. Therefore, sharing experiences across Asia and the Pacific, focusing on effective and affordable taxation to integrated health and social service models which promote improving the quality of life for demographic transition. The session is organized in two parts: Part 1: Health Taxes and Sustainable Financing for Transforming Health Systems; and Part 2: Developing long-term care systems and services for older adults in Asia.