Global health: Strengthening health care worldwide

Project description

Title: Sector Initiative Global Health
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)​​​​​​​
Country: Global​​​​​​​
Overall term: 2020 to 2023

A mother sitting at the doctor’s with her son on her lap. Copyright: GIZ/Dirk Ostermeier

Context

Health is a fundamental human right still denied millions of people. They are exposed to poverty-related infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and polio, but they do not have access to important vaccines and medicines.

Underfunded health care systems make it difficult to achieve universal health coverage. COVID-19 has affected important health care services and delayed the treatment of many illnesses.

While digitalisation can offer great potential here, it needs to be regulated, standardised and controlled.

Objective

Germany contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – especially to Sustainable Development Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Approach

The project advises the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) on health policy issues and helps Germany position itself in international networks and organisations. In addition, it sends experts to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA), to KfW Development Bank and to the Gavi vaccine alliance.

The project operates in the following areas:

Advice on funds: With the help of the project, BMZ participates in the management bodies of Gavi, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The project provides advice on COVID-19 and access to vaccines, tests and treatments, as well as advising on vaccine and pharmaceutical production in Africa.

Universal Health Coverage: The project provides advice on how to improve and fund health care systems, as well as advice on universal health coverage, health economics and qualified workers.

Health data and digital health: The project supports BMZ in the areas of health data and digital health. This includes monitoring trends and global debates and preparing corresponding data. It also provides support with drafting and implementing policy documents.

Knowledge management: The project prepares BMZ’s acquired knowledge for integration into international political discourse and development cooperation. Project knowledge from partner countries is presented on the Healthy DEvelopments web portal.

Two women holding information material on sexual health and explaining the content to a group. Copyright: GIZ/Heike Roch

Last update: April 2023

Additional information