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Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (2025) CC

Africa’s health sector is facing an unprecedented financing crisis, driven by a sharp decline of 70% in Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 2021 to 2025 and deep-rooted structural vulnerabilities. This collapse is placing immense pressure on Africa’s already fragile health systems as ODA ...is seen as the backbone of critical health programs: pandemic preparedness, maternal and child health services, disease control programs are all at risk, threatening Sustainable Development Goal 3 and Universal Health Coverage. Compounding this is Africa’s spiraling debt, with countries expected to service USD 81 billion by 2025—surpassing anticipated external financing inflows—further eroding fiscal space for health investments. Level of domestic resources is low. TThe Abuja Declaration of 2001, a pivotal commitment made by African Union (AU) member states, aimed to reverse this trend by pledging to allocate at least 15% of national budgets to the health sector. However, more than two decades later, only three countries—Rwanda, Botswana, and Cabo Verde—have consistently met or exceeded this target (WHO, 2023). In contrast, over 30 AU member states remain well below the 10% benchmark, with some allocating as little as 5–7% of their national budgets to health. In addition, only 16 (29%) of African countries currently have updated versions of National Health Development Plan (NHDP) supported by a National Health Financing Plan (NHFP). These two documents play a critical role in driving internal resource mobilisation. At the same time, public health emergencies are surging, rising 41%—from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024—exposing severe under-resourcing of health infrastructure and workforce. Recurring outbreaks (Mpox, Ebola, cholera, measles, Marburg…) alongside effects of climate change and humanitarian crises in Eastern DRC, the Sahel, and Sudan, are overwhelming systems stretched by chronic underfunding. The situation is worsened by Africa’s heavy dependency with over 90% of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics being externally sourced—leaving countries vulnerable to global supply chain shocks. Health worker shortages persist, with only 2.3 professionals per 1,000 people (below the WHO’s recommended 4.45), and fewer than 30% of systems are digitized, undermining disease surveillance and early warning. Without decisive action, Africa CDC projects the continent could reverse two decades of health progress, face 2 to 4 million additional preventable deaths annually, and a heightened risk of a pandemic emerging from within. Furthermore, 39 million more Africans could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to intertwined health and economic shocks. This is not just a sectoral crisis—it is an existential threat to Africa’s political, social, and economic resilience, and global stability. In response, African leaders, under Africa CDC’s stewardship, are advancing a comprehensive three-pillar strategy centered on domestic resource mobilization, innovative financing, and blended finance. more

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Tracking Universal Health Coverage in the WHO African Region, 2022

World Health Organization WHO, Regional Office of Africa (2022) C_WHO

n 2015, Member States of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its accompanying Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the third goal of the agenda focusing on health – good health and well-being. This has the attainment of universal health coverage (UHC) a... more

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Compendium of Gender Equality and HIV Indicators

Shelah S. Bloom and Svetlana Negroustoueva MEASURE Evaluation (2013)

The intended purpose of this compendium is to provide program managers, organizations, and policy makers with a menu of indicators to better “know their HIV epidemic/know their response” from a gender perspective. The indicators in the compendium are all either part of existing indicators used i... more

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Situation Analysis: Antibiotic use and resistance in South Africa

The Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy CDDEP (2011) C2

South Africa has faced many challenges over the past two decades, accomplishing profound positive changes in the social structure and government of the nation. This has not yet fully translated into better health for the population, however, particularly the poorest segment. In fact, the p... more

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Hand hygiene for all

UNICEF, WHO (2020) C_WHO

Three billion people – 40 per cent of the world’s population – do not have a place in their homes to wash their hands with water and soap. Three quarters of those who lack access to water and soap live in the world’s poorest countries and are amongst the most vulnerable: children and familie... more

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Improving Health Systems and Services for Mental Health
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2015) C_WHO

This document presents an integrated strategy for mental health system development that will lead to enhanced service delivery, improved outcomes, and improved human rights for people with mental disorders. By using the practical guidance provided in this document, countries can ensure that thei... more

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Rwanda: THIRD HEALTH SECTOR STRATEGIC PLAN JULY 2012 – JUNE 2018

Ministry of Health, Rwanda (2012) C2

The Third Rwandan Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP III) provides strategic guidance to the health sector for six years, between July 2012 and June 2018. HSSP III has been inspired and guided by the VISION 2020, which will make Rwanda a lower-middle-income country by 2020; the Rwandan Health Policy... more

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Care for Mental Health Conditions in Jamaica: The Case for Investment. Evaluating the Return on Investment of Scaling Up Treatment for Depression, Anxiety, and Psychosis

Pan American Health Organisation PAHO (2020) C_WHO

Mental health is critical to personal well-being, interpersonal relationships, and successful contributions to society. Mental health conditions consequently impose a high burden not only on individuals, families and society, but also on economies. In Jamaica, mental health conditions are highly pre... more

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Resources to Support Marginalized Caregivers of Children with Disabilities: Guidelines for Implementation

UNICEF (2022) C_UNICEF

These guidelines have been compiled for education ministries or other educational leaders (including development partners, non-governmental or private organizations working with schools or directly with caregivers) who want to adapt and adopt resources to support the marginalized caregivers of child... more

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Averting a lost COVID generation: A six-point plan to respond, recover and reimagine a post-pandemic world for every child

UN Children's Fund UNICEF (2020) C_UNICEF

The report finds that, as of 3 November, in 87 countries with age-disaggregated data, children and adolescents under 20 years of age accounted for 1 in 9 of COVID-19 infections, or 11 per cent of the 25.7 million infections reported by these countries. More reliable, age-disaggregated data on infect... more

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Start with Her: UNFPA Strategy for Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health and Well-Being 2025–2030

United Nations Population Fund UNFPA (2025) CC

Nearly 800 women die every day from preventable maternal causes, and in 2022 alone, an estimated 2.3 million newborns died. For every maternal death, countless more women endure life-altering injuries, infections, and disabilities related to childbirth. Maternal deaths are concentrated in the poo... more

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Panorama of Diabetes in the Americas

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) (2022) C_WHO

The burden of diabetes is enormous, positioning it as one of the main challenges facing public health today. Currently, it is estimated that 62 million people are living with diabetes in the Region of the Americas and projections show its prevalence will continue rising over the following years. The... more

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IRC Health Strategy 2023-2027

International Rescue Committee (2023) CC

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a leading humanitarian agency dedicated to helping people whose lives have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Health comprises nearly half of IRC’s program portfolio globally and encompasses thr... more

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Basic Emergency Care: approach to the acutely ill and injured
recommended

World Health Organization WHO and Internationl Federation of the Red Cross ICRC (2018) C_WHO

This is an open-access training course for frontline healthcare providers who manage acute illness and injury with limited resources. Produced in response to requests from multiple countries and international partners, the BEC package includes a Participant Workbook and electronic slide decks for ea... more

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Burden of Severe Fungal Infections in Burkina Faso

Bamba S. , Zida A., Sangaré I. et al. Journal of Fungi (2018) CC

Because of the limited access to more powerful diagnostic tools, there is a paucity of data regarding the burden of fungal infections in Burkina Faso. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and prevalence of serious fungal infections in this sub-Saharan country. We primarily used the na... more

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Guidelines: updated recommendations on HIV prevention, infant diagnosis, antiretroviral initiation and monitoring
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

These guidelines provide new and updated recommendations on the use of point-of-care testing in children under 18 months of age and point-of-care tests to monitor treatment in people living with HIV; the treatment monitoring algorithm; and timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living w... more

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Cancer Advocacy Traning Toolkit for Africa

Godfrey, E. AfrOx; ESMO; et al. (2014) CC

One of the most important ways we feel we can help to reduce the burden of cancer in Africa is to work with African cancer advocacy organisations to help educate and advocate about cancer in their countries. To this end in 2010 we designed with our partners, 13 posters for use in Africa giving heal... more

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Pakistan AIDS Strategy III 2015-2020

Ministry of Health, Pakistan (2015) C1

The purpose of the PAS III is to guide Pakistan’s overall national response for HIV and AIDS through 2020, through focused interventions with set targets, costs, roles and responsibilities. The successful implementation of PAS III involves multiple stakeholders to achieve priority outcomes outline... more

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区域性思考: 与有非传染性疾病和精神卫生问题的人举办的非正式区域磋商所作分析 2023

World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Organization (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This report includes analysis from informal regional consultations in the African Region, the Caribbean and North America, Latin America, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, alongside three forums in the Western Pacific Region. It analyses the overarching similarit... more

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Interim guidance on COVID-19 Rapid Antigen self-testing to African Union Member States

African Union; Africa CDC Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) C1

This guidance addresses rationale, risk-based scenarios, practical considerations prior to adoption of the self-testing products, quality assurance, safety and ethical considerations, and data management considerations for COVID-19 self-testing. The Africa CDC recommends the use of rapid antigen sel... more

Improving Health Systems and Services for Mental Health recommended

Basic Emergency Care: approach to the acutely ill and injured recommended

Guidelines: updated recommendations on HIV prevention, infant diagnosis, antiretroviral initiation and monitoring recommended

Improving Health Systems and Services for Mental Health
recommended

Basic Emergency Care: approach to the acutely ill and injured
recommended

Guidelines: updated recommendations on HIV prevention, infant diagnosis, antiretroviral initiation and monitoring
recommended