Since 1994, considerable progress has been made in transforming the South African health care system, implementing programmes that improve the health of the population, and improving access to health care services. However, amid escalating health care costs disparities continue to exist between the public and private health sectors. The implementation of a national or social health insurance remains elusive despite three government-appointed committees on the matter.
Resource allocation and health financing
Public perceptions on national health insurance: Moving towards universal health coverage in South Africa
Shisana O, Rehle T, Louw J, Dirwayi NZ, Dana P, Rispel L: South African Medical Journal 96(9) 2006
Following the Money: Toward Better Tracking of Global Health Resources
Global Health Indicators Working Group: Center for Global Development, May 2007
This report calls for a move from tracking expenditures on specific health programs in an uncoordinated way to coherent and long-term support to improve government budgetary and financial systems in the developing world; to institutionalizing standard approaches to documenting and analyzing health sector expenditures; and to providing more timely, predictable and forward‑looking data on external assistance to the health sector.
Economic impact of abortion related morbidity and mortality: modelling worldwide estimates
Vlassof M: Eldis Health Resource Guide, 2006
This paper estimates the monetary costs of the 19 million unsafe abortions that take place every year around the world. This includes the direct costs of treatment related morbidity and mortality to health systems, and indirect costs to the national economy and households – the cost to women when they suffer from abortion complications whilst they receive treatment and recuperate from such treatment.
How can we make aid to civil society more effective in overcoming poverty?
Southern Africa Trust: Policy Brief 1, June 2007
About one-third of foreign aid from developed countries is now channelled through or directly to civil society in developing countries. There is a significant change in the way donors give support to civil society, including pooling donor support through national and regional intermediaries; multiple funding agencies and adoption of a variety of support models. Based on a detailed analysis of seven country case studies (Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe), the findings challenge the conventional wisdom and advance the civil society agenda in certain key ways.
Insurance for the poor?
Dercon S, Bold T, Calvo C: Global Poverty Research Group
Uninsured risk has substantial welfare costs, not just in the short run, but also in terms of perpetuating poverty. This paper discusses the scope for extending insurance to the poor, drawing mainly on examples from Latin American and Caribbean countries. It is argued that insurance provision to the poor could play an important role in a comprehensive system of protection against risk, including other ex-ante measures such as promoting credit and savings as insurance, as well as a credible overall ex-post safety net. Insurance provision is best promoted via a partner-agent model, in which a local finance institution with close links to relatively poor communities teams up with an established insurer to deliver low-cost, tailored products, such as life, health, property and weather insurance.The paper also argues for the involvement of local indigenous risk-sharing and finance institutions as intermediaries to maximise the ability to reach the poor and the overall welfare benefits.
Making aid accountable and effective: The challenge for the Third High Level Forum on aid effectiveness
Action Aid International, 10 July 2007
The report sets out a Ten Point Plan for achieving the necessary reform of Overseas development aid. It calls on donors and southern governments to make vital changes to improve aid so it can effectively play its role in helping to make poverty history.
Mapping multilateral development banks’ reproductive health and HIV/AIDS spending
Dennis S, Zuckerman E: Gender Action, 2007
This Gender Action report reviews the Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) - World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) - commitment to promoting reproductive health, preventing HIV and treating AIDS. It analyses the quantity and quality of funding for these issues during 2003-2006.
Tanzania: World Bank approves additional funds for health development
Shalita S, Maro-Mzobora I: The World Bank, 5 July 2007
On 5 July 2007, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved an additional International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$60 million for the Government of Tanzania to support the second phase of the Health Sector Development Project. The additional funds will support Tanzania’s Second Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP) for an additional two years: 2007-2009. Through this project there will be increased funds for more efficient delivery of essential health services and staffing at district level.
Assessment implementation of the Uganda Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria
Uganda Coalition for Access to Essential Medicines
This report is from a study carried out by the Uganda Coalition for Access to Essential Medicines (UCAEM), to assess the implementation of the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB in Uganda. The study was specifically designed to offer an analysis of the implementation process and activities of the UGFATMP with the aim of establishing the involvement of key stakeholders particularly CSOs, identify the challenges, document beneficiary perspectives and make recommendations on key CSOs concerns about the process. Despite successes around the world this report reveals that there are still concerns at the country level in Uganda.
Global Fund welcomes G8 recommitment
Angola Press, 26 June 2007
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has welcomed the latest "endorsement by the G8 leaders of US$6 billion to US$8 billion per year for the Global Fund, a three-fold increase from the current level," as "a strong agreement that makes it possible to defeat" the pandemics.