Countries Transitioning From Donor Health Aid: We Need A Common Research Agenda And Mechanisms For Action

Large numbers of countries that have achieved middle-income status are in the process of transitioning away from significant donor aid that they have been receiving for their health programs in recent years — notably in the areas of AIDS, tuberculosis, and vaccine-preventable illnesses, but also in other domains such as family planning. External financial and technical support to these countries is being gradually withdrawn. Millions of lives are in the balance. This is going to be one of the top issues in global health over the coming decade, as the ground shifts profoundly. Yet neither countries nor donors are well prepared or equipped to manage these transitions, in order to ensure that disease control and other health programs continue to be well run and generate the enormous benefits expected of them. While there are some emerging good practices developed by organizations such as the Gavi Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (GFATM), and the US Government’s PEPFAR program, the risks and challenges of transition have not yet been fully assessed nor have enough measures been put in place to address these risks and challenges. There is an urgent need to develop and deploy better tools and data on country transitions in global health. It is time for funders to come together around a common analytical agenda that tackles the major issues in health transitions — including political will and commitment, financing, technical and managerial capac...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Featured Global Health Policy HIV/AIDS vaccines Source Type: blogs