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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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A healthy return: Investment case for a sustainably financed WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) (2022) CC

There has never been a more critical moment to invest in WHO, and strengthen the unique role it plays in global health. Now is the time to sustainably finance WHO and invest in a healthy return for all.

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A Toolkit for Addressing Nutrition in Emergency Situations

IASC, Global Nutrition Cluster, UNICEF (2008)

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South Africa: Integrated assessment and management of health care infrastructure and technology

Erasmus, L., Poluta, M. & Weeks, R. University of Pretoria (2012) C2

Innovate, Issue: 7

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Health Care in Danger: The Responsibilities of Health-Care Personnel Working in Armed Conflicts and Other Emergencies

Coupland, Robin M.; Breitegger, Alex International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (2013) C1

A guidance document in simple language for health personnel, setting out their rights and responsibilities in conflict and other situations of violence. It explains how responsibilities and rights for health personnel can be derived from international humanitarian law, human rights law and medical e... more

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Working with Individuals, Families and Communities to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health. Module 3

World Health Organization WHO; PAHO Pan American Health Organization, Enfant du Monde (2017) C_WHO

A toolkit for Implementation. Module 3: Participatory community assessment in maternal and newborn health

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Achieving Health Equity in Contested Areas of Southeast Myanmar (Burmese Version)

Davis, Bill; Jolliffe, Kim The Asia Foundation (2016) C1

In many of Myanmar’s contested regions, healthcare services are provided through two parallel governance systems – by the government’s Ministry of Health, and by providers linked to ethnic armed organizations. Building upon efforts to build trust between these two actors following ceasefires s... more

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Analysis of the nature and contribution of innovative health financing mechanisms in the WHO African Region

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

Africa is off track to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and lags behind in building resilient health systems and health security, against a backdrop of limited resources. The world envisaged a significant role for governments in funding the Sustainable Development Agenda, but inadeq... more

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Considerations for implementing and adjusting public health and social measures in the context of COVID-19
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

interim guidance, 14 June 2021 This document is intended for national authorities and decision makers in countries that have introduced large scale public health and social measures. It offers guidance for adjusting public health and social measures, while managing the risk of a resurgence of cases... more

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Emergency Response Preparedness Plan (ERPP) MYANMAR. Version 1.0

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (2014) C1

Myanmar is prone to various natural hazards that include earthquakes, floods, cyclones, droughts, fires, tsunamis, some of whichhave the potential to impact large numbers of people. In the event that large numbers of people are affected (such as was the case in 2008 following cyclone Nargis), the go... more

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Rapid Assessment of Mental Health Needs of Refugees, Displaced and Other Populations Affected by Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations

World Health Organization (2001) C_WHO

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Public health risk assessment and interventions. Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma: the Philippines

World Health Organization (2009)

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"Toward Quality Car for Patients" - National Core Standards for Health Establishments in South Africa

National Department of Health Health Department Republic of South Africa (2011) CC

The Department of Health is committed to providing the best quality care to patients and users of health services, in order to meet their expectations and needs, and to improve service delivery. The main purpose of the National Core Standards is to: • Develop a common definition of quality of ... more

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Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) Democratic Republic of the Congo : Floods in Kinshasa
recommended

International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (2018) C1

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National Health Accounts Guidelines India 2016

National Health Accounts Technical Secretariat, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of india (2016) C1

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Ebola Virus Disease Emergency Appeals (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Global Coordination & Preparedness): Combined Ebola Operations Update No°24

International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (2015)

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Africa CDC Reproductive Health | Strategic Priorities 2022-2026

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2023) CC

In 2006, the Special Session of African Union Health Ministers adopted the Maputo Plan of Action for implementing the Continental Policy Framework on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), which expired at the end of 2015. The goal was for all stakeholders and partners to join forces and ... more

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Building health system resilience to public health challenges: guidance for implementation in countries

World Health Organization WHO (2024) C_WHO

Health system resilience is not an inevitable byproduct of any investment in health but must be intentionally programmed and developed with necessary input, investment and contextualization. This technical product aims to guide national, subnational, and global health actors to operationalize the co... more

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WHO and partners working with national health authorities to contain new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

World Health Organization WHO (2018)

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National Health and Social Welfare Policy and Plan Liberia 2011-2021

Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Liberia (2011) C1

Considerations for implementing and adjusting public health and social measures in the context of COVID-19 recommended

Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) Democratic Republic of the Congo : Floods in Kinshasa recommended

Considerations for implementing and adjusting public health and social measures in the context of COVID-19
recommended

Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) Democratic Republic of the Congo : Floods in Kinshasa
recommended