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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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The cost of austerity: The toll of IMF conditionalities on access to health in Zambia

Make Way, Wemos (2024) CC

Zambia is facing a severe economic crisis marked by high inflation, increasing poverty and a heavy debt burden that is straining both its fiscal stability and progress in health outcomes. By 2020, the country's external debt reached United States dollars (USD) 12.7 billion, representing 108% of the ... more

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Wheelchair Service Training Package Poster

WHP; USAID (2013) C_WHO

Following the release of the Wheelchair Service Training Package – Basic level (WSTP-B), WHO in partnership with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has developed the Wheelchair Service Training Package – Intermediate Level (WSTP-I). WSTP-I is the second part of the WHO w... more

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Pollution and the Heart

Rajagopalan, S.; Landrigan, P.J. The New England Journal of Medicine (2021) CC

Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s leading cause of disability and death. Such diseases were responsible in 2019 for an estimated 18.6 million deaths globally and 957,000 deaths in the United States.

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Certified African Regional professionals: Level 1 Biological Waste Management

Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2023) CC

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Biosafety and Biosecurity Initiative was launched by the Africa CDC in April 2019 with the aim of strengthening the African Union (AU) Member States’ biosafety and biosecurity systems and enabling them to comply with national and i... more

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Roadmap for the Global Health for Peace Initiative: Draft

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This draft Roadmap for the Global Health for Peace Initiative has been developed in response to decision WHA75(24) of the 75th World Health Assembly (2022), which requested that WHO develop, in full consultation with Member States and Observers, and in full collaboration with other organizations of ... more

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SADC Regional Advocacy Strategy on HIV & Aids, Tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Infections

Communicable Diseases Project Directorate for Social and Human Development and Special Programmes, SADC Secretariat, Gaborone, Botswana (2015) C1

This regional advocacy strategy on HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and sexually transmitted infetions (STIs) is intended for use by Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States at a national level. This is an overall advocacy strategy highlighting the most important issues relating to... more

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Lessons from the Baltic Alcohol Control Policy Project: policies that contribute to decreasing burden of mortality and disease

World Health Organisation (WHO) World Health Organization (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This short brief describes the main findings and the key lessons learned from the research project "Evaluation of the impact of alcohol control policies on morbidity and mortality in Lithuania and other Baltic states", funded by the United States National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism fo... more

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Sustainable financing: feasibility of a replenishment mechanism, including options for consideration - Report by the Director-General

World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Organization (WHO) (2022) CC

The Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly through a decision on sustainable financing, adopted the recommendations of the Member States Working Group on Sustainable Financing, contained in Appendix 2 of the Working Group’s report to the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly. As part of the recommendat... more

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Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2018 WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Organization (WHO) (2018) C_WHO

The Noncommunicable Diseases Country Profiles 2018 by the World Health Organization (WHO) provides an in-depth look at the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes across WHO Member States. It includes data on NCD m... more

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USA National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria 2020-2025

U.S. Government (2020) C2

The National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB), 2020-2025, presents coordinated, strategic actions that the United States Government will take in the next five years to improve the health and wellbeing of all Americans by changing the course of antibiotic resistance. T... more

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Disease Commodity Packages

World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

The DCPs are a series of disease specific datasheets that list the critical commodities and the technical specifications for each commodity per disease. The DCPs inform Member States and operational partners of commodity requirements and potential gaps in the health emergency supply chain. From an o... more

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Addressing Inequalities in Global Health: UNU IIGH Strategic Plan 2024–2028

United Nations University UNU (2024) C1

The 2019-2023 Strategy for UNU-IIGH, developed in 2018, built on UNU-IIGH’s strategic advantage and position vis-à-vis the UN and global health ecosystem. The Strategy set a goal to advance evidencebased policy on key issues related to sustainable development and health and shifted the Instit... more

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Transforming APOC into a new regional entity for Oncho & LF elimination and support to other PC/NTD

World Health Organization WHO; African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control APOC (2013) C_WHO

In May the Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA66.12 (1) on 17 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Among other measures, the resolution urges Member States to: • ensure country ownership of prevention, control, elimination and eradication programmes; • expand and implemen... more

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Northeast Nigeria Health Sector - Humanitarian Response Strategy 2025 - 2027 (December 2024)

Government of Nigeria; Health Cluster; World Health Organization WHO (2024) CC

The protracted humanitarian situation in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) States, remains a concern due to ongoing insecurity, displacement, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and climate-related shocks. To address these complex challenges, the health sector has ...developed a comprehensive humanitarian response strategy aligned with the three States Development plans, Durable Solutions for the Population Displacement Plan, and the Humanitarian Need Response Plan for 2025. This strategy aims to reduce morbidity and mortality among crisisaffected populations by ensuring timely, equitable, and effective delivery of lifesaving health services, while strengthen the resilience of health system and enhancing local and national capacities for sustainable health response in protracted emergency. Supported by an in-depth analysis of the ongoing health humanitarian response using the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) methodology, the strategy is guided by three key objectives: 1. Provide access to lifesaving interventions and sustain an effective response to the prolonged health emergency. 2. Prevent, mitigate, and prepare for health risks from all hazards and respond to all health emergencies. 3. Advance the primary health care approach and essential health system capacities for universal health coverage. To achieve these objectives, the strategy employs the “Five C” framework which refers to: • Collaborative Surveillance: Enhancing collaborative efforts for effective monitoring. • Community Protection: Implementing community-based protection measures. • Safe and Scalable Care: Ensuring care that is both secure and scalable. • Access to Countermeasures: Facilitating access to necessary countermeasures. • Emergency Coordination: Coordinating emergency responses efficiently. These proactive approaches are designed to be more anticipatory and preemptive rather than reactive, aiming to meet the needs of the crisis-affected population by providing lifesaving interventions, enhancing preventive and anticipatory actions, and ensuring the resilience of the health system. All actions are guided by International Humanitarian Standards and the Humanitarian Principles. The implementation of the health humanitarian response strategy will involve collaboration with local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international organizations. The strategy emphasizes localization and resource mobilization, efficient logistics and supply chain management, mainstreaming protection, and the deployment and training of healthcare workers. Continuous monitoring and periodic evaluation will ensure the effectiveness of the response. Cross-sector collaboration with sectors such as WASH, Nutrition, Education, and Protection will be crucial to enhance the quality and reach of health interventions. Additionally, sustainability and transition approaches will ensure long-term health outcomes and benefits, bridging the gap from humanitarian to development efforts. By adopting this comprehensive approach, the humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in BAY States, can be effectively guided, ultimately reducing the suffering of affected populations. more

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EU Guidelines for the prudent use of antimicrobials in human health

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) (2017) C_CDC

These Guidelines on prudent use of antimicrobials in human health are based on a technical report prepared by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) with input from EU Member States experts and stakeholders, which should be referred to for details of the methodology used in cr... more

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Rabies a fatal but preventable viral disease

Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC (2022) CC

Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal. In the United States, rabies is mostly found in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes. However, in many other countries dogs still carry rabies, and most... more

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The Spiritual Care Team: Enabling the Practice of Whole Person Medicine

Koenig, H.G. Duke UniversityMedical Center, Durham (2014) C2

We will soon be piloting a project titled “Integrating Spirituality into Patient Care” that will form “spiritual care teams” to assess and address patients’ spiritual needs in physician outpatient practices within Adventist Health System, the largest Protestant healthcare system ... more

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Sustainable financing: Report by the Director-General

World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Organization (WHO) (2021) CC

The biennium 2020–2021 has revealed more clearly than ever the need for a strong, credible and independent WHO on the world stage. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has demonstrated the fundamental importance of the global detection, response and coordination roles that only WHO can play a... more

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Sustainable financing: WHO investment round

World Health Organization WHO (2023) C_WHO

Even before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, it was apparent that the world’s directing and coordinating authority on international health work needed sustainable financing in order for Member States to address the evolving global health threats, ranging from those rooted in climate c... more