As part of government's initiatives to help manage the severe tuberculosis strains identified in KwaZulu-Natal, the provincial Health Department has set aside about R506 million writes Nozipho Dlamini. The extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) strain resists all first level drugs (ordinary treatment given to TB patients) and two of the five major classes of the second-level drugs used to treat patients with multi-drug resistant TB (MDR TB). "For the MDR and XDR TB strains specifically, we are allocating R80 million, which forms part of our TB Crises management Plan," MEC Peggy Nkonyeni said, tabling her department's budget for this financial year.
Resource allocation and health financing
KZN Health budgets about R506 million for TB
BuaNews, 26 Apr 2007
Reversing the trend of weak policy implementation in the Kenyan health sector? – a study of budget allocation and spending of health resources versus set priorities
Glenngård AH, Maina TM: Health Research Policy and Systems 5:3, 29 March 2007
Policy implementation in the context of health systems is generally difficult and the Kenyan health sector situation is not an exception. In 2005, a new health sector strategic plan that outlines the vision and the policy direction of the health sector was launched and during the same year the health sector was allocated a substantial budget increment. On basis of these indications of a willingness to improve the health care system among policy makers, the objective of this study was to assess whether there was a change in policy implementation during 2005 in Kenya.
Monetary policies for an MDG-related scaling up of ODA to combat HIV/AIDS
Vernengo M, March 2007
This paper discusses the best monetary policy to manage the macroeconomic effects of an MDG-related scaling up of aid inflows to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Many economists have expressed concern that a substantial scaling up of aid inflows would lead to greater inflation and real exchange rate overvaluation. Thus, in such a context, they often advocate that central banks adopt restrictive monetary policies. However, such policies often make overvaluation worse by driving up the interest rate and reducing domestic liquidity. This paper suggests that the evidence on the overvaluation effects of aid inflows is thin, at best. Instead of advocating restrictive policies, this paper maintains that monetary policies should maintain low rates of interest, increase overall liquidity in the economy and maintain a relatively depreciated currency. Such policies will help support the expansion of fiscal space that will be necessary for reaching the MDG target of halting and reversing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. A substantial increase in ODA directed towards combating HIV/AIDS will lead to an expansion of government spending on domestic goods and services. But the impact of such spending will not necessarily be inflationary in economies, such as those of many low-income countries, which have significant excess capacity, i.e., underemployed labour and other productive factors.
Guide to using round 7 of the Global Fund to Support Health Systems strengthening
Physicians Forum for Human Rights
This Guide was produced to assist members of Country Coordinating Mechanisms and other individuals and organizations involved in preparing proposals for Round 7 of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which launched March 1, 2007. While the primary purpose of this Guide is to serve as a technical guide in thinking about and developing proposals that include health system strengthening activities, we also hope that it can help motivate countries to use the Global Fund to support such activities.
Kenya Medicine Price Monitor
Ministry of Health, Republic of Kenya, 2006
Price is one of the major barriers to reliable access to medicines while availability of medicines is also a major determinant of access. The Ministry of Health of Kenya and conducts surveys on a quarterly basis to monitor medicine prices in the countries. In these surveys information is collected on availability, affordability and price variation on a basket of medicines in the public private and mission sectors.
Ugandan medicine price monitor
Ministry of Health, Uganda
Most Ugandans cannot readily access the medicines they need due to the high prices charged. To understand more about what people pay for medicines in Uganda, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI) Africa conducted a countrywide survey on medicine prices in 2004, and recommended a medicine price monitoring system for surveys to be conducted quarterly. This is the first price monitoring report, presenting the survey results for the October-December 2006 quarter.
Dark cloud over good works of Gates Foundation
Piller C, Sanders E, Dixon R: L A Times, 7 January 2007
In a contradiction between its grants and its endowment holdings, Corporate Watch reports that Gates Foundation provides 5% of its worth annually as grants for health initiatives, public education and social welfare and invests the other 95% of its worth. The investigation found investments in companies that have failed tests of social responsibility because of environmental lapses, employment discrimination, disregard for worker rights, or unethical practices. Corporate Watch outlines those investments that appear to contradict the foundations grant support goals and the feedback obtained from the Gates Foundation on the findings.
District health barometer
Health Systems Trust, 22 February 2007
The highest per capita primary health care expenditure in the public sector by a district in South Africa during 2005/06 was R416 per person in Bophirima district in the North West province. This is in stark contrast to the lowest rate of R115 per person spent in Greater Sekhukhune, a relatively deprived district in Limpopo province.
Health insurance for the informal sector in Tanzania: Social security for the excluded majority
Kiwara, A: International Labour Organisation (ILO)
For the past two decades the informal sector has grown very rapidly in Tanzania. In the early 1990s it was estimated to be contributing about 60% of the country's GDP. Some authorities even believe that this figure is an underestimate. This sector provides a "safety net" to many women and youth in the country. Its role in providing for livelihood is becoming more important as the formal sector shrinks due to retrenchment. This feasibility study aimed at assessing how and under what conditions the outputs produced and the activities deployed by the ILO project on social security for the informal sector will contribute to the establishment of a social security system in the two areas. The main emphasis for this study was the establishment of health insurance schemes in the identified areas, i.e., Mbeya and Arusha.
Report hits Global Fund expenses: donations used for meals, limos
Donnely J: The Boston Globe, 5 February 2007
The executive director of a $7 billion fund to fight deadly diseases in the world's poorest countries has made extensive use of a little-known private bank account, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on limousines, expensive meals, boat cruises, and other expenses, according to an internal investigation. While not disputing 37 specific limousine charges in cities across Europe and the United States, dozens of entertainment and meals expenses, among other expenditures the inspector general deemed excessive, the Global Fund spokesman disputed the context, tone, and several facts in the inspector general's report. A separate investigation, overseen by the World Health Organization, also raised concerns about the use of the private bank account.