By: Genevieve Luippold
Global Health. G8. Impact. The Muscoska Initiative. Canada. G20. ODA commitments. ODA short-comings. Outcomes. Indicators, Health systems strengthening. Poverty. Need. MUST. Opportunities. Future. Economic crisis. Economic opportunity. Partnership. ACCOUNTABIILTY. Emerging MARKETS. Wealthy countries. The haves and the have nots. Gleneagles promises made. Gleneagles promises broken. Coordination. Core issues.Population health. NGOs. FBOs. HIV/AIDS. TB. NTDs. Climate change. Health. The economy. Peace. Demand.
In the flurry of buzz words, responses and reactions to the development dialogue last week as the G8 and G20 summit ended, June 26, 2010, new and re-vamped efforts are on the table. The MNCH initiative (maternal, new born and child health) outlined by Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, greater attention towards the MDG review summit in September, the US’ new commitment estimates of $1.34 billion for FY 2010-2011, continued efforts towards debt relief, and further efforts towards the control of infectious disease highlighted important commitments of the G8 and G20 leaders and donor countries. On the other hand, reflections on past commitments and shortcomings expose the need for continued progress and donor report tracking. At the CSIS/KFF Briefing on Wednesday, July 8 in Washington, D.C. hosted a briefing titled “The G8 Muskoka and G20 Toronto Summits health and Development Outcomes” where policy leaders, Leonard J. Edwards, Prime Minister’s Personal Representative, Canada, Mark Abdoo, Director for Global Health and Food Security, National Security Staff and Jennifer Kates, VP and Director of Global Health Policy & HIV, KFF discussed G8 and G20 findings. One point discussed highlighted recent data available on health ODA and that it significantly lagged behind past commitments. The ONE campaign produces a Data Report to track to The G7 are on track which exposes this gap. The G8 to deliver 61% of their combined commitments to sub-Saharan Africa by 2010, with an expected delivery of $13.7 billion of the $22.6 billion increase promised. These figures are based on a projected increase of $3.8 billion from the G8 in 2010, an estimate that ONE derives from the most current budget documents as well as from discussions with G8 governments.
So where do we go from here?
In a climate with unlimited needs and limited resources, where can global development efforts make the biggest impact? Consider the health of mothers and babies and the plight of neglected tropical diseases.
Intestinal worm infections commonly cause anemia, a primary cause of death and disability among children and pregnant women in developing countries. The impact of NTDs on maternal health is devastating. NTDs exacerbate anemia in pregnant women resulting in increased rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, low birth weights, premature births, and lower child survival rates in addition to reducing a woman’s ability for caretaking and economic productivity. Co-infection with malaria and NTDs, from which millions of the world’s poorest suffer, exacerbates the effects of anemia, resulting in increased rates of maternal and child morbidity and mortality.
NTD control has enormous benefits for maternal health and helps to achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 to improve maternal health. The creditability of the G8 and G20 depends on accountability. Jennifer Kates, the Vice President and Director of Global health Policy and HIV at the Kaiser Foundation, concluded the session by challenging the private sector. Kates stated that the G8 can go in one or two directions: it can either continue its legacy of playing a role in official development assistance; or it can flatline or decrease in its contributions to ODA. It is up to us as advocates, as voters, mothers, fathers, children, as producers and seekers of health to challenge the G8 and G20 to keep the promotion of health of women and children as a core effort as we look forward.
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Genevieve Luippold is the Latin American and Caribbean Research intern at the Global Network. She is working on her MPH, fluent in Spanish, and enjoys early morning jogs.
