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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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The cost of austerity: The toll of IMF conditionalities on access to health in Zambia

Make Way, Wemos (2024) CC

Zambia is facing a severe economic crisis marked by high inflation, increasing poverty and a heavy debt burden that is straining both its fiscal stability and progress in health outcomes. By 2020, the country's external debt reached United States dollars (USD) 12.7 billion, representing 108% of the ... more

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Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey 2016-18 Key Indicators Report

National Statistical Office Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, The DHS Program (2019) C2

The DHS report itself explains the purpose was, “to obtain and provide information on basic indicators of social progress including fertility, childhood mortality, reproductive and child health, nutritional status of children, and awareness of HIV/AIDS and other health-related issues” in PNG. Th... more

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HEARTS. Technical package for cardiovascular disease management in primary health care. Systems of Monitoring

World Health Organization WHO, et al. (2018) C_WHO

Monitoring is a crucial element in any successful programme. It is important to know if health care facilities – and ultimately countries – are meeting the agreed goals and objectives for preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Monitoring is the on-going collection, management ...and use of information to assess whether an activity or programme is proceeding according to plan and/ or achieving defined targets. Not all outcomes of interest can be monitored. Clear outcomes must be identified that relate to the most important changes expected to result from the project and to what is realistic and measurable within the timescale of the project. Once these outcomes have been articulated, indicators can be chosen that best measure whether the desired outcomes are being met. To allow progress to be monitored, this module provides a set of indicators on CVD management. Agreeing on a set of indicators allows countries to compare progress in CVD management and treatment across different districts or subnational jurisdictions, as well as at a facility level, identify where performance can be improved, and track trends in implementation over time. Monitoring these indicators also helps identify problems that may be encountered so that implementation efforts can be redirected. This module starts from the collection of data at facility level, which is then “transferred up” the system: facility-level data are aggregated at subnational level to produce reports that allow tracking of facility and subnational performance over time and allow for comparison among facilities. National-level data are obtained through population-based surveys. Implementing a monitoring system requires action at many levels. At national and subnational levels, staff can determine how best to integrate data elements into existing data collection systems – such as the routine service-delivery data that are collected through facility-level Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). In the facility setting, personnel must be aware of what data are needed. Sample data-collection tools are included, recognizing that countries use different datamanagement systems for HMIS, so the CVD monitoring tools will be adapted to work with the HMIS system being used by the country, such that the indicators can be collected with minimal disruption/work to existing systems and tools more

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Person-centred communication for female genital mutilation prevention: a facilitator’s guide for training health-care providers

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

Evidence shows that FGM can cause several physical, mental and sexual health complications in girls and women, and in newborns. Health-care providers play an important role in supporting girls and women living with FGM, and improving their health and well-being. They are in a unique position to infl... more

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Training of community health workers: Cervical cancer screening and management of cervical pre-cancers

Lakhbir Dhaliwal, Vanita Suri, Reshmi Bagga et al. World Health Organisation (WHO) (2017) C_WHO

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide and causes a significant number of deaths in the South-East Asia Region. Nearly 200 000 new cases of cervical cancer occurred in SEA Region Member States in 2008, giving an incidence of almost 25 per 100... more

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National Guidelines for Health Care Waste Management in Ghana

Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment Ghana (2019) CC

Ghana's attempt to regulate health care waste management started in 2002 with the development of guidelines on health care waste manage-ment by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2006, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) also developed the Health Care Waste Management Policy and Guidelines as ... more

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Capacity building in public health nutrition

Geissler, C. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (2015) CC

The aim of the present paper is to review capacity building in public health nutrition (PHN), the need for which has been stressed for many years by a range of academics, national and international organisations. Although great strides have been made worldwide in the science of nutrition, there rema... more

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Sanitation and Cleanliness for a Health Environment

Conant , J. Hesperian Foundation (2016) C1

This selected material from Hesperian's Community Guide to Environmental Health offers 48 pages of information on basic sanitation and hygiene, including instructions on building safe, affordable, environmentally-friendly sanitation systems, as well as learning activities to help communities underst... more

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WHO Guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being, 2022 revision: executive summary
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

A global shortage of an estimated 18 million health workers is anticipated by 2030, a record 130 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and there is the global threat of pandemics such as COVID-19. At least 400 million people worldwide lack access to the most essential health service... more

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Gender and One Health context analysis for HEAL

Eba, B.; Wieland B., Flintan F., et al. (2020) CC

The One Health approach can help achieve progress and promotes synergies on national and global priorities by generating synergies at the human-animal-environmental interface. While evidence is still scare, it is likely that the approach is highly cost-effective and improves effectiveness of core pu... more

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Improving Health and Reducing Poverty. Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition : Volume 9.

Jamison, Dean T.; Gelband, Hellen; Horton, Susan, et al. World Bank (2017) CC

As the culminating volume in the DCP3 series, volume 9 will provide an overview of DCP3 findings and methods, a summary of messages and substantive lessons to be taken from DCP3, and a further discussion of cross-cutting and synthesizing topics across the first eight volumes. The introductory chapte... more

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Nature-Based Solutions and Protected Areas to Improve Urban Biodiversity and Health

MacKinnon,K.; van Ham, C.; Reilly, K.; et al. Springer International Publishing (2019) CC

Biodiversity and healthy natural ecosystems, including protected areas in and around cities, provide ecosystem benefits and services that support human health, including reducing flood risk, filtering air pollutants, and providing a reliable supply of clean drinking water. These services help to red... more

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Knowledge guide to support the operationalization of the Refugee and migrant health: Global Competency Standards for health workers

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

The Knowledge Guide provides guidance on how health workers can apply the Standards to their own practice. For each of the nine competencies and their specific behaviours in the Standards, the Knowledge Guide examines in detail how a health worker's knowledge, skills and attitudes can reach the stat... more

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Research and Evaluation Agenda for HIV and Maternal Health in sub-Saharan Africa

Kendall, Tamil; Danel, Isabella (2014) C1

Women and Health Initiative Working Paper No. 1. Women and Health Initiative
Improving maternal health in the context of the sub-Saharan African HIV epidemic requires greater understanding of the relationships between HIV disease and maternal morbidity and mortality, integrated and effective resp... more

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Toolkit for implementation of the WHO intrapartum care and immediate postnatal care recommendations in health-care facilities

World Health Organization WHO (2023) C_WHO

This toolkit was developed to provide detailed information and resources to support implementation of the WHO intrapartum and immediate postnatal care recommendations at the health-care facility level. The careful design of this toolkit is based on a rigorous evidence-based approach that includes im... more

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Towards universal health coverage in the WHO African Region: tracking financial protection

World Health Organization (WHO) (2024) CC

The role of evidence in the journey towards universal health coverage is paramount. Financial risk protection monitoring, the major focus of this report, informs where the WHO African Region stands in reducing the financial hardship people face due to health expenses. This report details the status ... more

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Heatwaves: A Guide for Health-based Actions

Pan American Health Organization PAHO (2021) C_WHO

This publication presents a comprehensive methodology to support the Member States of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in preparing for and responding to heat-health risks in the Region of the Americas. It builds on World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Organization globa... more

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Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change: Challenges, Opportunities and Evidence Gaps

Marselle, M.R.; J. Stadler; H. Korn; et al. Springer International Publishing (2019) CC

Climate change presents significant challenges to human health and biodiversity. Increased numbers of extreme climate events, such as heat waves, droughts or flooding, threaten human health and well-being, both directly and indirectly, through impaired ecosystem functioning and reduced ecosystem ser... more

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COVID-19 Basic Measures: For healthcare and deathcare workers in the handling of the dead

International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies IFRC (2020) C1

The wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is standard practice for the handling of the deceased and should be carried out in line with standard Health and Safety procedures. Healthcare and deathcare workers should take precautions when handling the remains of individuals who have died fr... more

WHO Guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being, 2022 revision: executive summary recommended

WHO Guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being, 2022 revision: executive summary
recommended