International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Costing Health Benefit Packages Using the WHO UHC Compendium: A Proof-of-Concept Study in Kyrgyzstan

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Gerard Joseph Abou Jaoude 1
Charlie Nederpelt 2
Saltanat Zhetibaeva 3
Gavin Surgey 2
Parisa Kamali Sadeghian 4
Neha Misra 4
Eliza Aidyldaeva 3
Mirlan Atakulov 5
Edil Orozaliev 5
Sven Neelsen 6
Christel Vermeersch 6
Baktygul Kambaralieva 7
Jolene Skordis 1
Tom Palmer 1
Rob Baltussen 2
Baktygul Isaeva 3
Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli 1
1 Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
2 Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
3 Ministry of Health, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
4 World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
5 Mandatory Health Insurance Fund, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
6 World Bank, Washington, DC, USA
7 Japan International Cooperation Agency Kyrgyz Republic Office, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
10.34172/ijhpm.9333
Abstract
Background 
Many countries are defining health benefits packages to progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). Cost estimates are required to ensure packages are affordable and implementable. However, a gap persists between global costing tools and recommendations informing package design and the way services are defined for country-level implementation. To address this, we developed the first health systems-wide costing tool and approach based on the World Health Organization (WHO) UHC Compendium database, which provides structured service definitions and data to facilitate country-level contextualisation and implementation. This paper presents our tool and approach through a proof-of-concept study in Kyrgyzstan.
 

Methods 
We developed a tool in Microsoft Excel that estimates normative economic costs for over 500 UHC Compendium services using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches. Resource use was derived from UHC Compendium metadata, supplemented with publicly available and country-specific data sources to inform input prices and population in need estimates. In Kyrgyzstan, all secondary data were validated and contextualised with national experts. We produced high-level cost estimates for 424 services identified as relevant for Kyrgyzstan and refined estimates for 181 priority services selected by country stakeholders. Sensitivity analyses investigated variations in personnel, medicine and overhead costs and currency fluctuations.
 

Results 
Delivering all 424 services at current utilisation levels, or low levels of utilisation for services not yet implemented, would cost an estimated US$ 186.97 per capita annually. Providing the 181 priority services would cost US$ 74.41 per capita at current utilisation levels and US$ 189.44 per capita if scaled to full (100%) utilisation. Costs were driven primarily by personnel and medicines. Sensitivity analyses showed costs ranging from US$ 58.76 to 90.05 per capita.
 

Conclusion 
This study demonstrates the feasibility of using UHC Compendium data to generate country-specific, service-level cost estimates for benefits package design. Other countries can adapt our tool and approach to design affordable and implementable packages in support of UHC goals.
Keywords
Benefit Package
Costing
Priority Setting
Universal Health Coverage
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International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 15, Issue 1
2026
Pages 1-11

  • Received Date 17 July 2025
  • Revised Date 17 January 2026
  • Accepted Date 30 April 2026
  • First Published Date 05 May 2026
  • Published Date 01 December 2026