Speaking during the regular Friday press briefing in Geneva for humanitarian agencies, she warned that, as richer nations make profound expenditure reductions, international aid and national health systems are faced with serious disruptions.
Dr. Chalkidou has highlighted recent decisions of the United States, several European governments and EU organizations to freeze or reduce health assistance.
WHO Forecasts indicate that the world’s health investment is Likely to fall up to 40% this year, down $ 10 billion, against just over 25 billion dollars in 2023. The estimated $ 15 billion spent on health aid would lead to the figure at the lowest level in a decade.
Impacts in developing countries
This shortage of funding creates an emergency for health financing in many developing countries – especially in sub -Saharan Africa – which depend on external aid to finance their health systems.
In many countries, health programs financed by the United States have been the main source of external aid, With up to 30% of current health expenses in countries like Malawi and around 25% in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Since 2006, external aid per capita in low -income countries has systematically exceeded internal health expenses.
Many sub -Saharan nations are confronted with soaring loads – some people spend twice as much on debt service as on health – to make resources’ reallow.
The consequences are serious: Dr Chalkidou has referred to an investigation by which showing that countries today report the disturbances of health services “not seen since the peak of COVID 19».
Solutions
To combat this crisis, which urges countries to reduce dependence on aid, to increase income through the improvement of taxation, including health taxes such as tobacco and alcohol – and work with multilateral banks to guarantee low interest loans for profitable health investments.
Who also plans to attend the next International conference On the financing of development in Seville, where world leaders should address the health financing crisis and, hopefully, make new commitments.
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
