Ensuring that health aid strengthens countries’ health systems has long been a priority for Sweden. But how successful have we been in this regard? EBA has commissioned a study to assess the extent to which aid has contributed to long-term, sustainable improvements in health system functioning in partner countries.
The report evaluates Sweden’s bilateral health aid to six countries — Uganda, Bangladesh, Zambia, Somalia, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — between 2014 and 2023, and includes case studies of Bangladesh and Uganda.
Main conclusions:
- Measuring and monitoring the strengthening of health systems within Sweden’s health aid needs to be developed.
- Strengthening health systems is a key ambition, but not a specific objective, of Sweden’s bilateral cooperation strategies.
- Long-term commitment and coherence are vital for the strengthening of health systems.
- Reduced cooperation with the governments of recipient countries hinders efforts to strengthen health systems.
- Increased domestic funding is required to strengthen health systems.
- Swedish government agencies need better capacity to be an active partner in the work to strengthen countries’ health systems.