03-Jan-16 Western Australia Health Minister Kim Hames has confirmed 1,163 jobs will need to go if the Government is to bring spending back to sustainable levels. The Government flagged significant cuts to the public health sector last year, with Premier Colin Barnett describing staffing numbers as "several hundred" above desired levels. [image: ABC]

28-Dec-15 Japan's government has approved a draft budget for 2016 including JPY82.5 bn for the Ministry of Health, Labor & Welfare (MHLW) to promote development of innovative new drugs and medical devices, based on the comprehensive strategy for strengthening the pharmaceutical industry announced in Sep-15. Among others, this budget will fund initiatives to promote the practical application of genomic medicine. [image: Tohoku University]

21-Dec-15 Australia's doctors lobby has warned the government not to allow health funds to price insurance based on factors such as age and lifestyle, while attacking "junk" policies that don't cover common procedures. Government budgets are under strain and surging costs have put pressure on premiums, prompting a federal review into private insurance and other reviews of the health system. [image: Andrew Meares / The Age]

15-Dec-15 Despite recording gains in recent years, India continues to lag several health indicators such as mortality rates and malnutrition. A paper in The Lancet identifies seven structural problems: 1. A weak primary healthcare; 2. Unequally distributed human resources; 3. Large unregulated private sector; 4. Low public spending; 5. Fragmented information systems; 6. Irrational drug use and spiralling cost; 7. Weak governance and accountability. [image: Hindustan Times]

11-Dec-15 Countries worldwide are embarking on health system reforms that move them closer to universal health coverage (UHC), in many cases with a clear pro-poor focus. There is a wealth of guidance on the technical aspects of UHC, such as designing health service packages and developing health financing. However, there is very little practical guidance on how to implement these policies. [image: Medicus Mundi Suisse]