Liberia: Health user fees - helpful or harmful?

In a national health policy released last month the government said that due in part to “crushing poverty” it was maintaining a suspension of fees for primary care pending further study.

As part of the government's deliberations, a broad-based committee is studying the impact of user fees for primary health care and options for financing the health sector. The research is in part to show the level of revenue gained from fees contrasted with the extent fees keep people away from health services, one development expert in Liberia said. Many who advocate lifting fees say they do not contribute significantly to government coffers.

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