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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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Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health

World Health Organization WHO (2015) C_WHO

Healthy communities rely on well-functioning ecosystems. They provide clean air, fresh water, medicines and food security. They also limit disease and stabilize the climate. But biodiversity loss is happening at unprecedented rates, impacting human health worldwide, according to a new state of knowl... more

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When the Drugs Don’t Work – Antibiotic Resistance as a Global Development Problem

The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and ReAct (2019) C2

This paper focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty, economic growth, inequality, health, food production and the environment. It presents concrete examples of the underlying and complex aspects of antibiotic resistance and its impacts across different Sustainable Development ... more

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Ethiopia Country Refugee Response Plan - The integrated response plan for refugees from Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia 2020

UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR (2020) C1

Refugee protection in the country is provided within the framework of these international and national refugee laws as well as the core international human rights treaties that have been ratified by the country. Continued insecurity within neighbouring states has resulted in sustained refugee moveme... more

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Zimbabwe: Floods Situation Report No. 2, As of 10 April 2019

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (2019) C1

299 deaths have been recorded and 329 people are still missing, according to the Government. • Latest assessments indicate that the homes of some tens of thousands of people have been destroyed or damaged beyond habitability. Most of these people are staying with hosts in the extended community. ... more

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Remote psychological first aid during the COVID-19 outbreak

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IFRC (2020) CC

Psychological first aid (PFA) is a method of helping people in distress so they feel calm and supported to cope better with their challenges. It is a way of assisting someone to manage their situation and make informed decisions. The basis of psychological first aid is caring about the person in dis... more

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Working Paper 46 - Aid, China, and Growth: Evidence from a New Global Development Finance Dataset

Dreher, A.; A. Fuchs; B. Parks et al. AidData at William & Mary (2017) CC

This paper introduces a new dataset of official financing—including foreign aid and other forms of concessional and non-concessional state financing—from China to 138 countries between 2000 and 2014. We use these data to investigate whether and to what extent Chinese aid affects economic growth ... more

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The Building Blocks of a Circular Economy: USAID’S Local Systems Approach to Reducing Ocean Plastic Pollution

USAID (2022) CC

Ocean plastic pollution has reached crisis level: every minute, more than an entire garbage truck of plastic makes its way into the world’s oceans—roughly 11 million metric tons annually. While plastic waste presents an immediate threat to marine wildlife and ecosystems, this global challenge al... more

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Realizing Agenda 2030: Will donor dollars and country priorities align with global goals?

Sethi, T.; S. Custer; J. Turner et al. AidData at William & Mary (2017) CC

This report seeks to uncover the extent to which global goals crowd in international financing, inform domestic policy priorities, and navigate progress toward development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LICs and MICs). Our report: Provides a historical perspective on how ODA financin... more

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Intervention On the road to peace of mind - A guidebook

Dr Nancy Baron War Trauma Foundation (2009)

An applied approach to the training of trainers who, in turn, train teams to implement psychosocial and mental health interventions in developing countries affected by emergencies. The film On the Road to Peace of Mind, used in conjunction with this guidebook, presents an applied Traini... more

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Guidelines For Safety Assessment of Foods Derived From Genetically Engineered Plants

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (2012) C1

Original text from 2008, updated in 2012. This document marks the beginning of a structured approach to safety assessment of GE foods, which are yet to be approved in our country. It is understood that many changes will become necessary and will be incorporated as we progress. This document will ho... more

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The African Union´s challenges - Central Africa Republic

International Crisis Group International Crisis Group (2019)

4. Central African Republic Clashes throughout 2018 in the capital Bangui and a number of major towns illustrate the deadly threat posed by armed groups – a mix of pro-government militias, ex-rebels, bandits and local “self-defence” units – that control much of the countr... more

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Ethical considerations for vaccination programmes in acute humanitarian emergencies

Keymanthri Moodley, Kate Hardie, Michael J Selgelid, et al. World Health Organization (2013)

Humanitarian emergencies result in a breakdown of critical health-care services and often make vulnerable communities dependent on external agencies for care. In resource-constrained settings, this may occur against a backdrop of extreme poverty, malnutrition, insecurity, low literacy and poor infra... more

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Every child alive: The urgent need to end newborn deaths

UNICEF (2018)

Globally, in low-income countries, the average newborn mortality rate is 27 deaths per 1,000 births, the report says. In high-income countries, that rate is 3 deaths per 1,000. Newborns from the riskiest places to give birth are up to 50 times more likely to die than those from the safest places.... more

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COVID-19: How to include marginalized and vulnerable people in risk communication and community engagement

Inter-Agency Standing Committee IASC; World Health Organization (WHO); UNICEF; et al. (2020) C1

Women, the elderly, adolescents, youth, and children, persons with disabilities, indigenous populations, refugees, migrants, and minorities experience the highest degree of socio-economic marginalization. Marginalized people become even more vulnerable in emergencies.1 This is due to factors su... more

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Report on refugee health: assessment of the Bulgarian health system’s needs within the context of the crisis in Ukraine

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

Since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis on 24 February 2022, WHO has supported Government-led efforts and initiatives alongside key partners on the ground. Building on efforts to date, and working alongside Bulgaria’s health authorities to bring added value to existing mechanisms, the WHO Countr... more

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Northeast Nigeria Health Sector - Humanitarian Response Strategy 2025 - 2027 (December 2024)

Government of Nigeria; Health Cluster; World Health Organization WHO (2024) CC

The protracted humanitarian situation in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) States, remains a concern due to ongoing insecurity, displacement, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and climate-related shocks. To address these complex challenges, the health sector has ...developed a comprehensive humanitarian response strategy aligned with the three States Development plans, Durable Solutions for the Population Displacement Plan, and the Humanitarian Need Response Plan for 2025. This strategy aims to reduce morbidity and mortality among crisisaffected populations by ensuring timely, equitable, and effective delivery of lifesaving health services, while strengthen the resilience of health system and enhancing local and national capacities for sustainable health response in protracted emergency. Supported by an in-depth analysis of the ongoing health humanitarian response using the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) methodology, the strategy is guided by three key objectives: 1. Provide access to lifesaving interventions and sustain an effective response to the prolonged health emergency. 2. Prevent, mitigate, and prepare for health risks from all hazards and respond to all health emergencies. 3. Advance the primary health care approach and essential health system capacities for universal health coverage. To achieve these objectives, the strategy employs the “Five C” framework which refers to: • Collaborative Surveillance: Enhancing collaborative efforts for effective monitoring. • Community Protection: Implementing community-based protection measures. • Safe and Scalable Care: Ensuring care that is both secure and scalable. • Access to Countermeasures: Facilitating access to necessary countermeasures. • Emergency Coordination: Coordinating emergency responses efficiently. These proactive approaches are designed to be more anticipatory and preemptive rather than reactive, aiming to meet the needs of the crisis-affected population by providing lifesaving interventions, enhancing preventive and anticipatory actions, and ensuring the resilience of the health system. All actions are guided by International Humanitarian Standards and the Humanitarian Principles. The implementation of the health humanitarian response strategy will involve collaboration with local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international organizations. The strategy emphasizes localization and resource mobilization, efficient logistics and supply chain management, mainstreaming protection, and the deployment and training of healthcare workers. Continuous monitoring and periodic evaluation will ensure the effectiveness of the response. Cross-sector collaboration with sectors such as WASH, Nutrition, Education, and Protection will be crucial to enhance the quality and reach of health interventions. Additionally, sustainability and transition approaches will ensure long-term health outcomes and benefits, bridging the gap from humanitarian to development efforts. By adopting this comprehensive approach, the humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in BAY States, can be effectively guided, ultimately reducing the suffering of affected populations. more

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Sharing Smart Solutions in Water

Diego J. Rodriguez, Matthijs Schuring, Nansia Constantinou et al. The World Bank; Water Partnership Program (2013) C1

Water security, or having the right amount and quality of water in the right place at the right time, fosters social and economic progress. Where water is sufficient to meet demand, it can promote economy wide growth and enable countries to reach their food security, energy security, and human devel... more

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Needs and barriers for mental health and psychosocial support among syrian refugees in lebanon: perspectives for future interventions

European Union Civil protection and Humanitarian Aid European Union Civil protection and Humanitarian Aid (2018) CC

Results Recommendations• NGOs should provide MHPSS services with a focus on empowerment and self-reliance • Introduce interventions focusing on pain mechanisms, coping strategies and physical resilience • Implement livelihood programmes • Increase service accessibility and outreach activ... more

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TACKLING ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR) TOGETHER Working Paper 5.0: Enhancing the focus on gender and equity

World Health Organization WHO (2018) C_WHO

This document aims to assist countries to take the first step towards better considering gender and equity issues in their efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), to inform the implementation of strategies in national action plans and contribute to improved reach and effectiveness of AMR e... more