This report analyses the strengths and weaknesses of alternative health financing mechanisms in the context of West and Central Africa.

It looks at the way that health as a human right is in jeopardy, the importance of alternative health financing mechanisms; low regional health expenditures, high – and inequitable – private and out-of pocket expenditures, donor support for health, the varying degrees of social protection in health financing, user fees, the promise of social health insurance and mutual health organisations as community-based mechanisms.