Global Financing Facility

The Global Financing Facility (GFF) is a partnership of countries established to fight poverty and inequity in the case of health and nutrition. It is done through attempts at advancements in the rights of women, children and adolescents and their health. The World Bank hosts the partnership of GFF.

It bridges vital health financing gaps and aids countries in reaching sustainable development goals in health and nutrition. It serves as a hub for nations to gather domestic and international resources, draw investments, and synchronize health financing endeavors. Its mission is to expedite advancements in health outcomes, diminish maternal and child mortality, and promote universal health coverage.

The Global Financing Facility is a collaborative partnership that seeks to revolutionize the financing and delivery of health and nutrition services. It was established in 2015 and prioritizes the enhancement of well-being for women, children, and adolescents. The GFF focuses on the provision of high-quality Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) services effectively and equitably. The partnership aims to garner additional international and domestic resources to expand and maintain the same. It also strives to promote the transition to sustainable long-term domestic financing for RMNCAH. A pivotal focus area for the GFF is aiding the expansion of civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems, aiming for universal registration of vital events by 2030.

Its main objectives include financing and assessing national RMNCAH scale-up plans and supporting countries in transitioning to sustainable domestic financing for RMNCAH. It also includes improving civil registration and vital statistics systems, funding global public goods for scaling up, and enhancing the coordination of RMNCAH financing mechanisms.

Furthermore, the GFF seeks to develop a clear strategy for fully scaling and strategically financing RMNCAH services across diverse countries. This strategy will be a fully costed RMNCAH national plan interconnected with broader national health strategies. The roadmap will provide a comprehensive outlook on a country's immediate and long-term RMNCAH resource needs and will delineate strategies to mobilize essential domestic and international funding over time.

The governance of the GFF is facilitated by two main global entities: the GFF Trust Fund Committee (TFC) and the GFF Investors Group (IG). While the TFC supervises strategic priorities and funding allocation for qualified countries, the IG aids in coordinating efforts at the country level. The GFF Secretariat handles daily operations, including analytical work, technical assistance, donor engagement, results monitoring, and knowledge sharing.

The partnership collaborates with a broad spectrum of nations, encompassing low-income, lower-middle-income, and fragile and conflict-affected countries. The GFF prioritizes nations facing the most significant burden and requirements in RMNCAH. It directs its efforts towards countries grappling with high maternal and child mortality rates and those encountering obstacles in attaining universal health coverage. The GFF customizes its assistance according to the unique needs and circumstances of each country, and global financing facility replenishment is taken care of by its partners. It does so by acknowledging the necessity for varied approaches and strategies tailored to enhance health outcomes. The counties list:

Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe

Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Myanmar, Somalia

Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Liberia, Niger, Tajikistan

Cambodia, Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania

Cameroon, Guatemala, Malawi, Pakistan, Uganda

Central African Republic, Guinea, Mali, Rwanda, Vietnam

Chad, Haiti, Mauritania, Senegal, Zambia.

Let us look into some examples to understand the concept better:

Example #1

In a hypothetical scenario, a low-income nation, XYZ country, collaborates with the Global Financing Facility (GFF) to enhance maternal and child health. With the GFF's aid, the nation develops an investment case detailing its health financing needs, including essential services, infrastructure, and workforce strengthening. The GFF empowers XYZ country to expand healthcare initiatives, strengthen healthcare systems, and reduce maternal and child mortality by leveraging resources from domestic sources, international donors, and private sector partners.  The global financing facility replenishment is a collaborative effort. This partnership enables XYZ country to access essential funding, expertise, and assistance to significantly improve the health and well-being of its women, children, and adolescents.

Example #2 - A Real-Life Example

A recent report, released ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, underscores significant progress made by more than 90% of countries collaborating with the World Bank global financing facility. These nations have witnessed reductions in both maternal and under-five mortality rates, along with improvements in adolescent birth rates, stunting, and stillbirths. Specifically:

• Maternal mortality rates declined in 96% of countries, with all countries partnered with the GFF for over 5 years experiencing reductions.
• Under-five mortality rates decreased in 94% of countries, reflecting a similar trend in long-term GFF partner countries.
• Adolescent birth rates saw a decline in 76% of countries, indicative of a universal decrease in long-term GFF partnerships.
• stunting among children under five decreased in 75% of countries, with 88% of long-term GFF partner countries experiencing declines.
• Stillbirths decreased in 56% of countries, with 78% of long-term GFF partner countries observing reductions.

Note: The global financing facility annual report summarizes achievements and contains them in detail.

Below are some of the reasons why the GFF is important:

• The GFF assists nations in prioritizing and allocating resources to essential health services and interventions, thereby enhancing health outcomes for women, children, and adolescents.
• The World Bank global financing facility advocates for aligning domestic and external resources equally with nationwide health priorities, ensuring targeted investment in pressing health challenges.
• Through fostering partnerships among governments, civil society organizations, donors, and the private sector, the GFF promotes collaboration and coordination in health financing endeavors.
• It assists nations in cultivating robust health systems able to address health emergencies and adeptly sustain advancements in health outcomes.
• Moreover, the GFF serves as a cornerstone in the progression toward universal health coverage, advocating for fair access to quality healthcare services, particularly for vulnerable groups.
• The GFF aids in bridging the health financing divide by mobilizing additional resources and attracting investments, especially in countries facing resource constraints and significant disease burdens,
• Through its commitment to data-driven decision-making, the GFF empowers countries to utilize precise and timely information to shape health policies, programs, and resource distribution, thus promoting more efficient and effective health systems.