Introduction to Use of health impact metrics for programmatic decision making in global health

Excerpt

Over the past twenty years, the international landscape for health programming in developing countries has changed dramatically, and global awareness of the consequences of poor health has grown. One result is the international commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that has put poverty reduction and health at the forefront of the global agenda. And, as new funding agencies and mechanisms (e.g., GFATM, GAVI, PEPFAR, PMI) appeared, attention focused more closely on the impact of their expenditures. Major donors - multilateral, bilateral and private - have embraced 'results-based programming'. They ask whether they are getting 'value for money'. And the commitment of national leaders to the MDGs confirms that they, as well as the donors, expect accountability for the significant expenditures now being made on health programs. Ultimately, what the global health community wants to know is which programs of service delivery can most efficiently improve health. …