A recent Devex article explores how lessons from climate finance could reshape global health funding. The article highlights strategies to enhance efficiency, leverage, and country alignment.
A Devex article by Kalipso Chalkidou, director of health financing and economics at the World Health Organization, examines how a recent review of multilateral climate funds offers insights for improving global health financing. As health funds like Gavi and the Global Fund face declining aid and growing financial pressures, these recommendations could help maximize impact.
The review, conducted by the G20’s Sustainable Finance Working Group, outlines five key strategies: assessing funding fragmentation, improving resource leverage, aligning financing with national priorities, harmonising fund operations, and enhancing efficiency.
With global health funds disbursing billions annually, shifting from traditional grant-based models to diversified financial tools—such as loans and guarantees—could improve sustainability. Additionally, aligning funding with country-led platforms, as seen in climate finance, would strengthen national health systems rather than bypassing them.
Chalkidou argues that improved coordination among health funds and more strategic financial planning could ensure long-term resilience. By adopting lessons from climate finance, global health funding can be made more effective in the face of financial uncertainty.
