2024 report

Health in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action

A critical analysis of an international, state and decentralised Official Development Assistance in the sphere of health care and humanitarian action with the aim of improving their quality, effectiveness and efficiency.

Highligths 2024 report
2024 report

worrying facts and figures

1
The Sustainable Development Goals
2
SDG 3: Health and Well-being
3
The Pandemic Treaty
4
30 years of the Cairo Programme of Action
5
International Cooperation
6
ODA in Health
7
Spanish ODA
8
Health in Spanish Cooperation
9
Humanitarian Action in Spanish Cooperation
more ...
monographs:

The Pandemic Treaty: An Unjustifiable Delay

The 2021 Special Session of World Health Organization (WHO) Assembly marked a pivotal moment in addressing the shortcomings in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when countries were still grappling with its far-reaching consequences.

more ...
The Pandemic Treaty
Gaza
monographs:

Israel's unprecedented humanitarian blockade of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

On 9 October 2023, Israel launched a “total siege” on the Gaza Strip, which has since become the worst humanitarian catastrophe in history, due to the sheer number of people affected, the scale of violence and the significant impact on International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

more ...
monographs:

Hunger and Hope: Sudan at the Crossroads of Resilience and Global Solidarity

Declaring famine is a rare and desperate measure, signalling that food insecurity has reached critical levels, where hunger and extreme malnutrition pose an imminent threat to a substantial portion of the population.

more ...
Burkina faso

The end of COVID-19 and mpox (smallpox) as global health emergencies in 2023 is a significant achievement, but it risks overshadowing ongoing concerns about planetary health and the One Health approach. These remain critical as they address the interconnectedness between human, animal and environmental health. Ignoring these holistic approaches could leave us exposed to future pandemics and other health crises.

Urgent action is needed in several global health areas: from prevention and preparedness for health emergencies to tackling preventable diseases and deaths; responding to the accelerating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR); and addressing the health impacts of climate change.

2024 report

worrying facts and figures

1
With only six years remaining to reach the 2030 Agenda, just 17% of the 169 targets under the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are on track to be met

48% of all targets show only minimal or moderate progress, and more than a third have stagnated or even regressed.

Sustainable Development Goals

2
SDG 3 has experienced significant setbacks. Only 10% of its targets have been achieved or are on track to be met. Meanwhile 30% show moderate progress, 45% have made minimal progress and 15% have seen no improvement at all

Every two minutes, 18 children under five die, one woman dies from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications, two to three people die from tuberculosis or hepatitis, and 34 people from cardiovascular problems. Additionally, 4.5 billion people lack access to essential health services, while 2 billion face financial hardship due to healthcare expenses.

SDG 3: health and well-being

3
The Pandemic Treaty which should safeguard against future pandemics like COVID-19, remains under negotiation, two years after they began

There are key areas of contention on the ongoing discussions, including resistance to integrating a gender perspective in the Treaty, reluctance to waive patents during crises and debates over the WHO’s future management of essential medical products and diagnostics.

The Pandemic Treaty

4
2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development, which took place in Cairo in 1994

Despite significant advancements, key challenges persist. Gender inequality and disparities in access to health services and education remain deeply entrenched. In several regions, access to reproductive health services is still limited and maternal mortality remains high in some countries. Moreover, opposition movements targeting women's health and rights are on the rise and funding for sexual and reproductive health is dwindling.

30 years of the Cairo Programme of Action

5
In 2023, there were 117.3 million forcibly displaced people, an 8% increase from the end of 2022. Additionally, 281.6 million people in 59 countries and territories faced severe acute food insecurity

While the needs increase, the funding has been reduced by $7.5 billion. In 2023, UN Humanitarian Appeals received only 43,2% of the $56.100 billion requested, the worst funding deficit in years.

International Cooperation

6
In 2023, Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Development Assistance Committee (DAC) countries reached a record $223.61 billion

However, the performance among DAC countries has been uneven and insufficient. While 14 countries increased their ODA, 17 countries saw reductions. As a percentage of gross national income (GNI), ODA represents only 0.37%, just marginally higher than in 2022 and still far below the UN target of 0.7%.

ODA in Health

7
In 2023, Spanish ODA decreased by 12.7%, dropping to €3,595 million

This reduction of €526 million means that Spanish ODA now represents only 0.24% of GNI, well below the EU average of 0.52% and the DAC average of 0.37%.

Spanish ODA

8
Spanish Health ODA saw a significant decline of 38.3%, falling to €248.3 million

This reduction means that health cooperation now represents just 6.9% of total Spanish ODA, well below the DAC average of around 12%.

Health in Spanish Cooperation

9
The Humanitarian Action of Spain increased by 65%, to €213,777,954

This increase means that Humanitarian Action represents 5.95% of total ODA, a step closer to the new Development Cooperation Law objective to allocate 10% of total ODA to Humanitarian Action.

Humanitarian Action in Spanish Cooperation

The response from the Spanish Development Cooperation, according to the report “Health in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action” are not very positive. The report shows that, in 2023, Spanish ODA decreased by 12.7%, getting further away from the EU average of 0.52%, the DAC average of 0.37% and the 0.7% commitment.

Regarding Health, Spain allocates 6.9% of ODA (€248.3 million), €154.5 million less than in 2022. It is difficult to understand a 38.3% fall on Health ODA in a context that demands a global and wholistic response to the complex global challenges the health sector faces.

Spanish Humanitarian Action grow by 65% in 2023, to €213,777,954. A significant increase, both in absolute terms (an additional €55,297,502 compared to 2022) and in percentage terms (an increase of 2 percentage points from the previous year), surpassing the 5% threshold of total ODA allocated to humanitarian action—a level not achieved since 2011.

Trend in Spanish Gross ODA and as percentage of GNI 2006-2023
Trend in Gross Health ODA
2004-2023
Trend in Spanish Gross ODA devoted to HA, 2006-2023
open data
AOD por países
ODA by Countries
2010 - 2023

Data from OECD

AOD descentralizada en España
Decentralized. Health ODA in Spain
2023

 

Map of Humanitarian Crisis in 2020
Map of Humanitarian Crisis
2023

 

13 December, 2024

Presentation of the Report 2024: Health in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action

Presentation of the Report 2024: Health in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action

2023 breaks the trend of aid expansion. Is the 0.7% target at risk? This is the title of the event, organised by Médicos del Mundo and medicusmundi, which took place on 12 December, International Universal Health Coverage Day, at the Ateneo in Madrid
CooperaSalud

Is an online tool which interactively presents the data, analysis and recommendations included in the Annual Report: Health in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action.

These reports are a joint initiative between medicusmundi and Médicos del Mundo, which, since 2002, have provided a critical analysis of international, state and decentralised Official Development Assistance in the sphere of health care and humanitarian action with the aim of improving their quality, effectiveness and efficiency.


20th anniversary: 2001 - 2021