BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: Health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages are the most cost-effective measure for reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by discouraging consumption while generating sustainable, long-term financing for health and development.
Existing health promotion funds were set up after years of consistent evidence-based advocacy. Experience-sharing and technical support from countries that have successfully gone through this process is instructive for countries currently advocating for their own sustainable financing mechanisms.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) and Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) jointly organized a fellowship program offering policy-focused technical assistance to countries in the development, legislation, and implementation of a sustainable national financing mechanism for health promotion.
he program supported two fellows per country in ten countries, nominated by their government or SEATCA. It included a study visit to ThaiHealth in Bangkok, mentorship, and seed grants for evidence generation, policy analysis, and advocacy.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: Despite facing political unrest, including post-election instability, military coups, and government restructuring, fellows in six countries - Bangladesh, Georgia, Niger, Senegal, Vanuatu, and Vietnam - made significant progress in achieving policy objectives and sustaining advocacy efforts.
Fellows have conducted situational analyses, engaged key stakeholders, conducted multi-sectoral advocacy, produced evidence-based policy documents, amplified their messages via the media, and drafted/reviewed health promotion legislation. For example, the fellows in Bangladesh have written a background paper detailing health promotion challenges and opportunities, aiding stakeholder consultations for the drafting of a future Health Promotion Foundation Act. In Georgia, fellows mobilized key stakeholders, including health officials and the WHO, to develop a comprehensive policy document outlining a sustainable financing model for health promotion
The fellowship concluded in November 2024, but SEATCA continues supporting the six countries’ advocacy.
CONCLUSIONS: South-South cooperation has advanced work towards sustainable financing mechanisms for tobacco control and health promotion in more countries, but more must be done.