the aid library

Bangladesh Health System Review

Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (2015) C1

Health Systems in Transition. Vol. 5 No.3 2015

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 o ... n 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

Health Care Financing in Ethiopia: Implications on Access to Essential Medicines

Eskender Eshetu Ali (2014) CC

Value in Health Regional Issues 4 C (2014) 37-40

Tracking aid flows for development assistance for health

Vassall A.; Shotton J.; Klein O. et al Global Health Action (2014) CC

he global architecture for providing development assistance for health (DAH) has become increasing complex in the last decade, with many new funding agencies entering the health sector. This study ... more

medmissio fact sheet - U.S. Economic Power and ODA Contributions for Health

Tilman Rüppel and Joachim Rüppel medmissio (2025) CC

This publication discusses official development assistance (ODA) provided by the USA with a focus on health, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It also reflects upon ODA by the USA in comparison to other donors and funding targets.

Ouagadougou Declaration on Primary Health Care and Health Systems in Africa

WHO WHO (2008) C_WHO

It focuses on nine major priority areas, namely: Leadership and Governance for Health; Health Service Delivery; Human Resources for Health; ... more

Attracting Poor People to public health facilities to access free health care: a n assessment of the Integrated Social Health Protection Scheme

Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Population Council; Socieux (2017) CC

Strengthening the collection, analysis and use of health workforce data and information: a handbook

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

Access to health workers who are fit for purpose, motivated and protected is a fundamental force of health service delivery and the achievement of universal ... more

Financing Global Health 2013: Transition in an Age of Austerity

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2014) CC

Financing Global Health 2013: Transition in an Age of Austerity, IHME’s fifth annual report on global health expenditure, depicts financing trends that underline the resilience of development assi ... more

Mental Health Atlas: Swaziland

Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization (2011) C_WHO

Balancing Community and Hospital Care: A Case Study of Reforming Mental Health Services in Georgia

Makhashvili, N.; van Voren, R. PLOS Medicine (2013) CC

PLoS Med 10(1): e1001366. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001366 Published: January 8, 2013

The cost of the reemergence of monkeypox: An overview of health financing in Africa

Sokunbi T.O., Akinbi E.O. Health Policy OPEN (2024) CC

This study aims to provide an overview of health financing in Africa and to examine the impact of the reemergence of mpox on health financing in the region.

Health Taxes in the Polycrisis Era

Klemperer K., Baker P. Center for Global Development (2024) CC

In 2019, the Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health concluded that taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages were a highly effective but greatly underused policy tool to reduce consumption, save lives, and raise domestic resources. Th ... more

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 provid ... more

HEALTH SECTOR STRATEGIC AND INVESTMENT PLAN (KHSSP) JULY 2013-JUNE 2017

Ministry of Medical Services and Ministry of Public Health & Sanitation, Republic of Kenya (2013) C1

Transforming Health: Accelerating attainment of Health Goals | THE SECOND MEDIUM TERM PLAN FOR HEALTH

Developing Global Health Programming

Evert, J.; P. Drain, and T. Hall (2014) CC

A Guidebook for Medical and Professional Schools, Second Edition. This book represents a significant step to engage health professions schools in addressing global health challenges

High-Performance Health Financing for Universal Health Coverage

The World Bank The World Bank (2019) CC

The majority of developing countries will fail to achieve their targets for Universal Health Coverage (UHC)1 and the health- and poverty-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) unless they take ... more

Survive, Thrive, Transform — Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016–2030)

Joint United Nations Programme on HIVAIDS (UNAIDS) (2018) C1

2018 monitoring report: current status and strategic priorities
The report sets out the status of women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health, and on health systems and social and environ ... more

Kenya: Health Policy Project

USAID, PEPFAR, Health Policy Project (2016) C1