Addressing Challenges in Health Technology Assessment Institutionalization for Furtherance of Universal Health Coverage Through South-South Knowledge Exchange: Lessons From Bhutan, Kenya, Thailand, and Zambia

• Published in: Value in health regional issues Vol. 24; pp. 187 - 192
• Main Authors: Kim, Taeyoung, Sharma, Manushi, Teerawattananon, Yot, Oh, Cecilia, Ong, Leslie, Hangoma, Peter, Adhikari, Deepika, Pempa, Pempa, Kairu, Angela, Orangi, Stacey, Dabak, Saudamini Vishwanath
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bhutan; health technology assessment; Humans; Institutionalization; Kenya; low- and middle-income countries; public health policy; South-South knowledge exchange; Technology Assessment, Biomedical; Thailand; Themed Section: Universal Health Coverage; universal health coverage; Universal Health Insurance; Zambia; Bhutan; Zambia; Kenya; Thailand; health technology assessment; public health policy; low- and middle-income countries; universal health coverage; South-South knowledge exchange
• ISSN: 2212-1099; 2212-1102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2020.12.011

Health Technology Assessment (HTA), a tool for priority setting, has emerged as a means of ensuring the sustainability of a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system. However, setting up an effective HTA system poses multiple challenges and knowledge exchange can play a crucial role in helping countries achieve their UHC targets. This article reports the results of the discussion during a preconference session at the 2019 HTAsiaLink Conference, an annual gathering of HTA agencies in Asia, which supports knowledge transfer and exchange among HTA practitioners. As part of this discourse, 3 main HTA challenges were identified based on experiences of selected countries in Asia and Africa, namely Bhutan, Kenya, Thailand, and Zambia: availability of funding, building technical capacity, and achieving buy-in among stakeholders for successful translation of HTA research into UHC policy. The potential solutions identified through this South-South engagement included establishing a legal mandate for HTA, building local technical capacity through partnerships and enhancing strategic communication with stakeholders to increase awareness, among others. South-South Knowledge Exchange can therefore be instrumental in sharing lessons learned from common challenges and offer potential solutions to address capacity building initiatives for HTA in LMICs. •Health technology assessment is an effective tool for priority setting for countries seeking to achieve Universal Health Coverage.•Three of the main challenges faced by countries in institutionalizing Health Technology Assessment are limited funding, lack of technical capacity, and stakeholder engagement.•South-South knowledge exchange is a useful means of learning from peers to address challenges.