Robert Marten

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  Robert commented on the article | over 2 years ago

  Why I'm Against a Global Fund for Maternal Health

  Don't you think it's a bit misleading to say that "Programs with a single-issue focus don't strengthen health systems"?  ...There is an article in this week's Lancet that talks about how, in fact, the Global Fund has roughly one third of its financing going to support health systems.  (Not that financing automatically implies strengthening, but still!)  Moreover, you go on to admit that if such a fund for maternal health were established and it were able to take a broad approach, it would, indeed, strengthen health systems.  There seems to be an inconsistency here.

  
  

  And so, if able to ensure such a fund supported a broad approach, don't you think appeals at the G-8 (and in general) with pictures of mothers and babies would be a whole lot more effective raising funds, which would improve health systems, than a Global Fund for Health Systems or even the status quo.  (The current status quo seems to be critics assailing horizontal and disease-focused approaches and calling for a health systems approach, but as of yet, efforts for supporting health systems seem to be quite uncoordinated and piecemeal.)

  
  

  And what about a Global Fund for Health Systems?