Full document: Global Strategy for Women's and Children's health
Bridging the financial gap
Every country needs to invest more in health to meet the MDGs. Many low- and middle-income countries can and are increasing their investment to cover their own needs.28 Further increases in GDP growth could help cover the funding gaps of many middle-income countries between 2011 and 2015 if applied to women’s and children’s health.29 The 49 lowest income countries do not have sufficient resources to meet their own needs.
Additional funds to tackle the health funding gap for the 49 lowest-income countries must come from traditional donors, new donors and governments. High-income countries, in particular, must meet their current commitments. Additional contributions must grow significantly in the coming months and years.30 The 49 lowest-income countries should ensure that growth in GDP leads to more investment in the health of women and children.31 Other low- and middle-income countries should continue to invest in their own health sector, supported by external assistance where required. This is especially the case in poor performing geographic regions and communities, which may require additional financial and technical assistance from development partners. Low- and middle-income countries should also forge partnerships with each other that will promote the exchange of technical expertise and cost-effective interventions, as well as financial support for the lowest-income countries.32
Foundations and civil society organizations should make significant additional contributions of financial, human and organizational resources.33 Many non-governmental organizations receive external and government contributions that they could use to target women’s and children’s health. The private sector can improve people’s access to health care by increasing corporate giving, reducing product prices and developing affordable new products. The Access to Medicines Index 2010 shows that the contribution companies make varies considerably.34 Bringing them all up to the standard of the best will improve the health of 2 billion people. Multilateral funders, such as the GAVI Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria can ensure that more funds are channeled to women, adolescents and children through countries’ HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and immunization programs. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), whose annual lending capacity is increasing from US$37 billion to US$71 billion, could give more in grants, credits and soft loans.35