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Review
. 2020 Oct;5(10):e003675.
doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003675.

Protecting essential health services in low-income and middle-income countries and humanitarian settings while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic

Karl Blanchet  1 , Ala Alwan  2   3 , Caroline Antoine  4 , Marion Jane Cros  5 , Ferozuddin Feroz  6 , Tseguaneh Amsalu Guracha  7 , Oystein Haaland  8 , Alemayehu Hailu  8 , Peter Hangoma  9 , Dean Jamison  10 , Solomon Tessema Memirie  11   12 , Ingrid Miljeteig  13   14 , Ahmad Jan Naeem  6 , Sara L Nam  15 , Ole Frithjof Norheim  8 , Stéphane Verguet  16 , David Watkins  3 , Kjell Arne Johansson  17
Affiliations
Review

Protecting essential health services in low-income and middle-income countries and humanitarian settings while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic

Karl Blanchet et al. BMJ Glob Health. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

In health outcomes terms, the poorest countries stand to lose the most from these disruptions. In this paper, we make the case for a rational approach to public sector health spending and decision making during and in the early recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on ethics and equity principles, it is crucial to ensure that patients not infected by COVID-19 continue to get access to healthcare and that the services they need continue to be resourced. We present a list of 120 essential non-COVID-19 health interventions that were adapted from the model health benefit packages developed by the Disease Control Priorities project.

Keywords: control strategies; health economics; health policies and all other topics; health systems; public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

References

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