Digital Financial Services for Health: Programmatic Case Studies from Kenya and Rwanda

Digital financial services (DFS) for health include banking, insurance, and payment services that can be accessed using digital technologies. The Digital Financial Services for Health Programmatic Case Studies report examines the role of DFS in advancing financial protection in accessing health services and supporting improved health system performance through two programmatic case studies in Rwanda and Kenya.

For a summary of information in the report, see this overview brief.

Specifically, the case studies look at:

• The community‐based health insurance program managed centrally by the Rwanda Social Security Board that utilizes digital technologies for client management and mobile payments for clients to pay their insurance premiums.

• The Kenya case study focuses on multiple programs including:

  • The Innovative Partnership for Universal Sustainable Healthcare (i-PUSH) initiative that uses the M-TIBE mobile platform to connect low-income women of reproductive age and their families to health insurance and better-quality care.

  • The Medical Credit Fund lending program that uses the CarePay technology platform and includes Cash Advance loans for health facilities and Mobile Asset Financing loans for health providers to buy medical equipment.

Authorship: Management Sciences for Health (MSH) in collaboration with government stakeholders, PharmAccess, and USAID—and with support from Digital Square.

Scope: Mixed methods research and process evaluation to explore programmatic DFS lessons regarding implementation, client experience, and the influence on health system performance. The report closes with recommendations for the design and implementation of health programs incorporating DFS.