Organization Committee (CERDI) : J. Mathonnat, M. Audibert, O. Guillot, C. Batisse.

Conceptions and policies concerning the financing of health systems in low-income countries have undergone tremendous evolution over the past twenty years. The principles of the Alma Ata conference, assuming free primary health care for all financed on public resources gave way, ten years later, to the "Bamako Initiative". The former noted the existing budgetary constraints and introduced the idea of user fees, so as to contribute to the financing of paying health centers in a logic of community participation. Over the past few years, new orientations have developed following two main directions: on the one hand, the implementation of "alternative" methods of financing, such as mutual insurance schemes; and on the other, the definition of new forms of collaboration between public and private actors of the health systems around the contractual approach.

This conference thus aims at bringing together specialists not only coming from the academic world but also from institutions involved in health policies (governments, international organizations and aid agencies, public and private insurance establishments, health establishments, etc.) to compare conceptual and empirical works - using various approaches - as well as experiences concerning the questions raised by the financing of health systems in African and Asian low-income countries.

Papers, in French or in English, may focus on the following issues, but we welcome submission of abstracts on any topic related to the overall orientation of the Conference :

• Theme 1 : Evolution of public expenditure in health, macro-economic environment and budget constraints.
• Theme 2 : Mobilization of domestic (general taxation, social contributions, cost recovery,…) and foreign (earmarked external financing; conditionality,…) resources for the (public and private) financing of health.
• Theme 3 : Funding systems and the objectives of health policies.
• Theme 4 : Decentralization, administrative reforms, modes of managing resources (community, etc.) and financing of health systems.
• Theme 5 : Articulation between the public and the private sector and contractualization.
• Theme 6 : Traditional mechanisms of insurance and alternatives forms (community based insurance, etc.).
• Theme 7: Financing of health systems, efficiency and equity.
• Theme 8 : Payment procedures of the suppliers of ambulatory and hospital health care and consequences on the supply (quality, prices, activities, etc.) and on the demand of health care (access, equity,…).
• Theme 9 : Useful lessons for low-income countries from experiences in industrialized and middle-income countries; international comparisons.
• Theme 10 : Actors approaches and policies.

• Mid April 2000 : Notification of acceptance by the Scientific Committee will be sent around April 15.
• May 2000 : Preliminary program, including preliminary registration and hotel reservation forms.
• 30 July 2000 : Deadline for pre-registration.
• 30 September 2000 : Sending the final version of the papers to the conference secretariat. Full registration and hotel reservation.
• 10 October 2000 : Mailing of final program.

They include the registration fee, a copy of all papers presented, two lunches and the diner of 23 November.

• Institutions and companies : 1 800 FF *(1500 FF)
• Individuals : 1000 FF *(800F)
• Students : 400 FF *(300FF)

Jacky Mathonnat/ Martine Audibert

CERDI

65 Bd. F. Mitterrand

63000 Clermont-Ferrand

Tél : +33 (0)4 73 43 12 12

Télécopie : +33 (0)4 73 43 12 28

E-mail :

CERDI was created in 1976 as a department of the Faculty of Economics and Management of the Université d’Auvergne. It is also an associated research centre of the CNRS. CERDI is the most important academic centre in France for teaching, research and consultation on the economy of developing countries.

CERDI has more than twenty permanent university professors, associate professors and CNRS researchers, about thirty visiting professors and researchers coming regularly to CERDI and over fifty Ph.D. students.

Research activities conducted within CERDI focus on the economic relations between countries at different stages of development, economic policy in developing and transition economies, their micro and macro-foundations as well as the social conditions of development.

Close collaboration exists between CERDI and other French and international organizations working on economic development and transition.

International conferences are regularly organized at CERDI on various issues regarding development on transitional economies.

CERDI also has a long history in teaching designed both to university studies and continuing education. Since 1986, CERDI has been awarding a "Magistère in economic development", which is an intensive, high-level, three-year university degree (equivalent to a post-Master’s degree diploma). CERDI also awards a DEA in development economics (a research-oriented diploma leading to the preparation of a Doctorate in economics) as well as a DESS in economic development (a professionally oriented diploma focused on project analysis).

Since 1994, CERDI has also been offering the Economic Policy Management Program for high-level civil servants from developing or transition countries. It aims at providing a high-quality training in the field of designing and implementing economic policies.

The CERDI is located at Clermont-Ferrand, a regional metropolis, at about 400 km south of Paris. It can be easily reached by plane and train.

Reply form (Word format)