Investing in Global Health

Given the current fiscal challenges facing the United States, it is more important than ever that we invest in proven-effective global health programs, which, beyond their global impact, are also cost-effective and critical to national security. Even with limited funding, global health programs have and continue to make a significant difference in the lives of millions of individuals throughout the world. As such, it’s vital that robust funding for global health programs remain a key priority during the FY2012 appropriations cycle.

Today, there are still approximately 215 million women in developing countries who want contraception but lack access to family planning services – a demand that is projected to rise 40 percent by 2050. It is critical that the U.S. make a real investment in family planning programs. Providing access to family planning services strengthens our efforts to decrease maternal and child mortality, reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV and combat gender-based violence. It also supports our broader development goals, including slowing population growth, easing pressure on natural resources and helping to create a healthier, more sustainable environment. Our nation's investment in international family planning has had a significant and sustained impact. U.S. assistance in 2011 will help prevent 11.7 million unintended pregnancies, 140,000 children from losing their mothers and 32,000 women from dying. And these investments are highly cost-effective.

The U.S. must also continue to support the critical role of UNFPA, which is the largest multilateral provider of family planning and reproductive health services. UNFPA works in more than 150 countries to prevent maternal mortality, expand access to contraceptives and improve the status of women.

At the same time, nearly 900 million individuals throughout the world do not have access to safe drinking water, which, together with inadequate sanitation and hygiene is an overwhelming contributor to the 1.5 million child deaths each year from diarrheal disease alone. Investment in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs is extremely cost-effective, and with every US$1 spent, there is a return of $8 in economic productivity and savings in healthcare costs.

Robust funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is also imperative to addressing the global burden of infectious diseases.

We must also remember that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 63 percent of all deaths globally. NCDs, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and lung disease, resulted in the deaths of more than 36 million people in 2008 alone, with nearly 80 percent of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Funding for health services is crucial to addressing the scale of this problem.

PSI directly implements programs that target malaria, child survival, HIV, Tuberculosis, reproductive health, water sanitation and non-communicable diseases. Through evidence-based interventions, many PSI platforms engage in advocacy efforts that help to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable populations around the world. Our experience of being involved in successful and lifesaving initiatives for more than 40 years tells us that with adequate funding, we can achieve substantial progress in global health. In 2010 alone, PSI prevented approximately 29 million episodes of malaria, 4 million cases of diarrhea and roughly 180,000 HIV infections. As such, we must continue our efforts to bring attention to the importance of investing in global health programs.

While resources are limited, smart investments in effective and sustainable global health programs are cost-effective, and bring about significant results both internationally and nationally.

– By Annie Toro, Government Affairs Manager, Washington, D.C