Official development assistance (ODA) is an international resource provided largely by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors and multilateral bodies. It is aimed explicitly at the economic development and welfare of developing countries. It is therefore well positioned to target places where need is greatest, and it is a key resource in the context of health.
Knowing where need is greatest and what form of investment is required (from emergency support to longer-term health systems strengthening) is key to ensuring support is well targeted.
This factsheet examines how health ODA is disbursed according to various measures of need. The analysis reviews the allocation of health ODA to country groups facing the greatest developmental challenges and with the lowest domestic resources available for health finance. The analysis also shows ODA funding towards specific diseases and how this compares to respective disease burdens.