New report examines donor funding for health in low and middle income countries

With the U.S. poised to reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and almost triple its financing over the next five years, a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation looks at trends in health funding provided by donor governments to low- and middle- income countries.

The report -- Donor Funding for Health in Low- & Middle- Income Countries, 2001-2006 -- assesses official development assistance provided by donor governments, including the U.S. and European nations, as well as the European Commission and multilateral institutions.  It finds that health funding rose from $7.2 billion in 2001 to $20.1 billion in 2006, an increase of 179%. 

Health funding represented 17% of overall official development assistance in 2006, up from 13% in 2001.  The U.S. -- including its funding for PEPFAR -- is the single largest donor for health (accounting for one-quarter of all commitments in 2006), though European nations collectively represent one-third of health assistance, with the European Commission providing an additional 6%.  In spite of recent increases in development assistance for health, the World Health Organization's Commission on Macroeconomics and Health estimates that the funding falls short of the needs.

In addition, the Center for Strategic and International Studies along with Kaiser held a briefing on Friday to discuss the outcomes of the recent G8 summit in Japan, including commitments to global health and aid to Africa.  A webcast of the briefing is available online.