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"By empowering countries to lead and enabling global health partners to achieve more working together, the GFF provides the catalytic platform the world needs to protect recent health gains, ensure countries can continue to deliver essential health and nutrition services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and support them to get back on track as quickly as possible."
Over the past few years, GFF partner countries have seen significant improvements in
access to quality health services for women, children and adolescents. Yet, these gains are now threatened
by the worst global public health crisis in a century. COVID-19 has laid bare the fragility of health
systems across the globe – and how quickly essential health services for women, children, and adolescents
can be disrupted, putting millions of them at risk of dying or enduring lifelong impacts. Supporting partner
countries to navigate the impacts of COVID-19 remains a top priority for the
GFF.
The results highlighted in this annual report reflect a period prior to the pandemic and
only underscore the urgent need to protect these gains and double down on efforts to accelerate progress for
women, children and adolescents.
Child nutrition and immunization coverage have improved considerably in GFF-supported countries.
Positive trends seen in deaths of children under five, child growth, and adolescent fertility in countries where the GFF has been engaged for more than three years.
Major improvements seen in indicators for reducing maternal and newborn deaths, including the use of skilled birth attendants and deliveries in health facilities, and prenatal care.
Increased domestic resource mobilization for the health of women, children, and adolescents
Instituted budget and financial reforms to improve efficiency and direct more funding to the frontlines
US$602 million in GFF grants are leveraging $4.7 billion in World Bank financing (ratio: 1 to 7.86)
Health financing strategies will need to be agile to respond to shockwaves and budgets will need to be spent even more efficiently if we want to reach universal health coverage (UHC). GFF supports governments to finance their health systems in a sustainable way.
Ensuring women and girls have access to sexual and reproductive health services can drive better health outcomes, achieve gender equality, build human capital and promote economic growth. The GFF helps its partner countries to ensure access to services like family planning for all women and girls.
Civil Registration and Vital Statistics systems are fundamental to building resilient health systems and fair societies. The GFF helps countries to strengthen their CRVS systems through a comprehensive health systems approach.
The world cannot ensure that every woman, child and adolescent have access to quality, affordable health care without the reach, resources and ingenuity of the private sector. The GFF works with governments to leverage the know-how and capacity of the private sector to reach those most in need.
In GFF partner countries, CSOs help ensure investment cases prioritize affected populations and hold governments accountable to delivering outcomes for women, children and adolescent health. The GFF has taken several steps to strengthen CSO engagement.
For all media inquiries, contact
Sheryl Silverman
ssilverman@worldbankgroup.org
Nansia
Constantinou nconstantinou@worldbankgroup.org