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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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Health for All – transforming economies to deliver what matters: Final report of the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All

World Health Organization (WHO) (2023) CC

The Council was established in late 2020 by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Director-General, WHO) to provide new economic thinking – reassessing how health and wellbeing are valued, produced and distributed across the economy. An all-female group of 10 distinguished economists and area experts, t... 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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Plan of Action for Malaria Elimination 2021-2025

Pan American Health Organization PAHO (2022) C_WHO

The Plan subscribes to the goals and pillars of the WHO Global Technical Strategy against Malaria 2016-2030 (GTS), while presenting key elements to address the specific challenges of the Region.

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Tackling malaria in countries hardest hit by the disease: ministerial conference report, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 6 March 2024

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2024) C_WHO

The Malaria Ministerial Conference, co-hosted by WHO and the Government of Cameroon on 6 March 2024, brought together more than 400 stakeholders, including Ministers of Health and senior representatives from the African countries hardest hit by malaria, global health leaders, scientists, civil socie... more

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ECSA report. Eastern, Central and Southern African Region - Education and Labor Markets for Nurses

World Bank Group; International Council of Nurses (2021) CC2

Challenges and Opportunities. This report presents a comprehensive assessment of the education and labor markets for nurses in the ECSA region. It documents the main challenges to train and deploy nurses and discusses opportunities for government and private sector employers to overcome these chall... more

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Implementing the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist: lessons learnt on a quality improvement initiative to improve mother and newborn care at Gobabis District Hospital, Namibia

Kabongo, L.; Gass, J.; Kivondo, B.; et al. (2017) CC2

BMJ Open Quality 2017;6:e000145. doi:10.1136/ bmjoq-2017-000145Although there are many evidence-based practices that reduce the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality around the time of birth, there remains a gap between what is known and the care received. This knowdo gap is a source of preventab... more

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2022 Annual Report Working to Achieve Transformative Results

United Nations Population Fund UNFPA (2022) C1

Access to safe and voluntary family planning is an inalienable human right that cannot be denied. In 2022, UNFPA continued to work with Government and partners to make this a reality in Namibia by providing strategic support to the national family planning programme and ensuring universal access ... more

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Questions bank for healthcare workers during infectious disease outbreaks

Wilkinson, A. Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (2025) C1

This question bank is a menu of qualitative questions related to healthcare workers’ knowledge, perceptions and practices during infectious disease outbreaks. The question bank will generate qualitative data on healthcare workers’ subjective understandings of risks, case management, protection a... more

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Community deployment of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine: a field guide

World Health Organization WHO (2024) C_WHO

The document outlines essential steps and provides guidance to countries on the adoption and deployment of c-IPTp so that it is integrated into the existing health system. It draws upon best practices and lessons learned from pilot implementation experiences in eight African countries and targets st... more

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Déploiement du traitement préventif intermittent du paludisme pendant la grossesse à base de sulfadoxine-pyriméthamine dans les communautés: guide du terrain

Organisation Mondiale de la Santé OMS (2024) C_WHO

Le guide décrit les étapes essentielles et donne des orientations aux pays pour l’adoption et le déploiement du c-TPIg de manière à l’intégrer dans le système de santé existant. Il s’appuie sur les meilleures pratiques et les enseignements tirés des expériences pilotes dans 8 pays af... more

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Social and Behaviour Change Communication Strategy for Prevention of Re-establishment of Malaria Transmission in Timor-Leste

Ministry of Health Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste; World Health Organization WHO (2025) C_WHO

The Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Strategy for the Prevention of the Re-establishment of Malaria Transmission in Timor-Leste forms part of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for 2021–2025. The strategy aims to support Timor-Leste's efforts to sustain malaria elimination by promot... more

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Promoting Quality Malaria Medicines through Social and Behavior Change Communication: An Implementation Kit

Health Communication Capacity Collaborative HC3; USAID (2016) C1

This Implementation Kit (I-Kit), developed by the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3), helps national and local stakeholders to design country-specific social and behavioural change communication (SBCC) campaigns that address the threat posed by substandard, spurious, falsified and fal... more

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Community led-monitoring guide for key malaria programs for civil society organisations

Civil Society For Malaria Elimination CS4ME (2022) CC

Community led-monitoring is based on the principle that «Nothing that is done for us should be done without us”. The combination of this principle with evidence shows that community-led monitoring is an important driver of improved service delivery and health outcomes that needs to be re-empha... more

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Climate change: a hreat to malaria elimination. Is Asia Pacific prepared?

Malaria Consortium; Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance; TDR; et al. (2021) CC

Thematic brief. This brief highlights the link between climate change and VBDs in Asia Pacific. Using malaria to tell the narrative, it lists key actions that policymakers and the public health community can consider in addressing the impact of a changing climate on health. The brief also includes ... more

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Risk communication and community engagement readiness and response toolkit: ebola disease

World Health Organization WHO (2025) C_WHO

This toolkit is a comprehensive set of practical tools and resources designed to support country-level risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) practitioners, decision-makers and partners to plan and implement readiness and response activities for Ebola disease outbreaks. The toolkit conta... more

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Risk communication and community engagement readiness and response toolkit: yellow fever

World Health Organisation WHO (2024) C_WHO

This toolkit is a comprehensive set of practical tools and resources designed to support country-level risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) practitioners, decision-makers, and partners to plan and implement readiness and response activities for yellow fever outbreaks. The toolkit conta... more

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International code of conduct on pesticide management: guidance on options for reducing risk when phasing out pesticides

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO and World Health Organization WHO (2025) CC

This guidance covers different options for banning or phasing out a pesticide and suggests related risk reduction measures to be taken during the phase-out period. A key focus of this guidance is how to take action to manage, prevent, minimize, and communicate about identified risks during the imple... more

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Mass gathering practical guide for simulation exercises and after action reviews

World Health Organization WHO (2025) C_WHO

This guide provides strategic direction for host countries, event organizers, health authorities, and key stakeholders to effectively plan and conduct Simulation Exercises (SimEx) and After Action Reviews (AARs) for mass gathering events. Packed with practical tools, it empowers users to seamlessly ... more

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Country guidance for planning triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus programmes

World Health Organization WHO (2025) C_WHO

This publication provides guidance for planning country-specific programming to achieve the triple elimination of mother-to-child (or vertical) transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus. It is based on the WHO Triple Elimination Framework, which promotes an integrated, person-centred appro... more