Official Development Assistance in the Health Sector

Abstract

The success of the role of Official Development Assistance (ODA) on the performance of two main health programs in Yemen stand in stark contrast to one another. The National Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program (NTP) and the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) demonstrated great disparities between each other in their capability to control the two diseases and to contribute to achieving goal number 6 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In order to identify the impact of ODA in assisting the two programs towards achieving their strategic objectives and consequently contribute to controlling these infectious diseases, the investigator analyzes the Development Assistance of Japan as a main donor to the NTP, and ODA from Saudi Arabia and the Global Fund to the NMCP by using a qualitative research method focusing on the impact of ODA in increasing the programs capability to reduce the case incidence and related deaths. There have been significant developments and contributions in support of the health sector to adequately control tuberculosis and minimize the number of TB cases in Yemen. Aid could be more capably utilized and donors can play a significant role in raising the efficiency of their aid, as seen in Japan’s ODA to the National TB program in Yemen (NTP). The NTP example demonstrated great success by helping countries to absorb and use this aid effectively through working in genuine partnership with the recipient country. This partnership, from the very beginning, adopted a holistic approach that addressed all the technical, organizational, financial, logistical and administrative aspects that are required for a viable TB control program. It was highly focused on capacity building and the transfer of knowledge, skills and experience to the NTP through JICA which was the key behind the success of the program today. The NMCP could benefit from the NTP’s success to overcome the many challenges and shortcomings facing it, such as the huge financial and technical demand for malaria control and elimination, and the obvious weaknesses and deficiencies within the health sector as a whole, and the inability of national resources to meet such a huge demand for combating malaria. Further impeding effectiveness of the NMCP was the donors’ insufficient, fragmented, and sometimes duplicated support, as well as inadequate capacities. The recipient countries should conduct baseline studies that analyze the local situation and underlying factors pertinent to major health problems, its socio-economic implications and provide proposals for the best solutions in consultation with the target population.;예멘에서의 두 가지 주요 보건 프로그램에 대한 ODA의 역할은 극명한 차이를 보여준다. 국가결핵통제프로그램(NTP)과 국가말라리아통제 프로그램(NMCP)은 질병을 통제하고 새천년개발목표(MDGs)의 6번째 목표를 달성할 수 있는 역량에 있어 큰 차이점을 보여주었다. 각 프로그램의 전략적 목표의 달성 그리고 이러한 전염병을 통제하는데 기여한 ODA의 효과를 살펴보기 위해 저자는 NTP의 주요 공여국 중 하나인 일본의 개발원조와 NMCP를 위한 사우디아라비아와 Global Fun 원조를 분석하였다. 이 논문은 정성적 분석 방법을 사용하여 이 두 질병의 발생과 이로 인한 사망을 줄이기 위한 프로그램의 역량강화를 위한 ODA의 효과를 분석하였다. 예멘에서 결핵을 통제하고 보건부문을 지원하기 위한 상당한 개발과 지원이 이루어져왔다. NTP 의 경우 큰 성공을 보여주었는데 이는 수원국과의 진정한 파트너십을 통해 그리고 역량강화에 초점을 둠으로써 원조자금을 효과적으로 사용하였기 때문이다. 논문에서 저자는 NMCP 의 경우 말라리아 통제와 제거에 따른 많은 재정적, 기술적 요구사항, 예멘의 열악한 보건분야, 말라리아 해결에 수반되는 기타 많은 문제점들을 감당할 수 있는 예멘 정부의 능력부재 등 이 프로그램이 직면한 많은 어려움과 문제점을 극복하기 위해NTP의 성공경험으로부터 도움을 받을 수 있다고 주장한다.