WASHINGTON, December 20, 2017 - The World Bank approved today $105 million equivalent in non-reimbursable grants for the Government of Mozambique’s Primary Health Care Strengthening Program‐for‐Results. Of this amount, $25 million equivalent is provided by the Global Finance Facility (GFF)*, and $80 million comes from the International Development Association (IDA)**.
While Mozambique has registered improvements in social indicators since the end of the war in 1992, daunting challenges remain. The country is still ranked 181 out of 188 countries in the Human Development Index. Today’s economic and fiscal pressures, which are likely to continue in the short to medium term, are putting pressure on recent gains in social indicators.
“I am pleased that we are stepping up our support for human development in times of fiscal pressures in Mozambique,” said Mark Lundell, World Bank Country Director for Mozambique. “This financing will target underserved areas and aims at improving the use and quality of health services, including particularly those pertaining to nutrition, and child, reproductive, and maternal health.”
A recent assessment of the primary health care system in Mozambique indicated that despite some improvements, the country is not yet on track to reach the health Sustainable Development Goals. It noted weaknesses in provider competencies; low adherence to clinical guidelines; high levels of dropout for child immunization; and little continuity in care delivery over time.
In response to these and other challenges, the Government developed a five-year program (2017-2021 - the Investment Case) focused on Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition that prioritizes the Health Sector Strategic Plan. The Investment Case program focuses on coverage, quality, and access to essential primary health care services, as well as data collection improvements and monitoring, among others.
“This World Bank/GFF funded operation with co-financing from other health partners will support precisely those portions of the Government’s Investment Case program implemented through the health sector annual Economic and Social Plan (PES),” said Humberto Cossa, Senior Health Sector Specialist at the World Bank. The PES is the planning and budgeting instrument of the Government of Mozambique coordinated by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and approved by the Parliament.
The program will use a financing instrument called Program‐for‐Results (PforR), which allows for disbursements to happen only in a phased manner and based on achievement of pre‐agreed targets. The program comprises a set of 11 indicators established jointly with the Ministry of Health and its Health Partners. The PforR tool is deemed appropriate given its combination of robust elements of technical assistance, capacity development, coordination, and monitoring to support enhanced service delivery. In addition, this operation draws on recent experience with results‐based financing in Mozambique and is fully aligned with the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework with Mozambique (2017-21).
“The Ministry of Health in Mozambique has shown great leadership in the Investment Case process and we are proud to support the country to expand resources that benefit mothers, children and adolescents in under-served areas,” said Dr. Mariam Claeson, Director of the GFF.
* About the Global Financing Facility. The Global Financing Facility (GFF) is a multi-stakeholder partnership that supports country-led efforts to improve the health of women, children and adolescents. With the GFF, countries are making smarter, more prioritized, results-focused investments toward greater impact on the health, nutrition and well-being of women, children and adolescents; building capacity for more sustainable funding for this agenda; and exploring more innovative ways to work with the private sector. The GFF Trust Fund is supported by the governments of Canada, Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and MSD for Mothers. Learn more: www.globalfinancingfacility.org and @theGFF
** The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.5 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $18 billion over the last three years, with about 54 percent going to Africa.
