Estimates of aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health: findings from application of the Muskoka2 method, 2002–17

Abstract

Background Four methods have previously been used to track aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH). At a meeting of donors and stakeholders in May, 2018, a single, agreed method was requested to produce accurate, predictable, transparent, and up-to-date estimates that could be used for analyses from both donor and recipient perspectives. Muskoka2 was developed to meet these needs. We describe Muskoka2 and present estimates of levels and trends in aid for RMNCH in 2002-17, with a focus on the latest estimates for 2017.Methods Muskoka2 is an automated algorithm that generates disaggregated estimates of aid for reproductive health, maternal and newborn health, and child health at the global, donor, and recipient-country levels. We applied Muskoka2 to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Creditor Reporting System (CRS) aid activities database to generate estimates of RMNCH disbursements in 2002-17. The percentage of disbursements that benefit RMNCH was determined using CRS purpose codes for all donors except Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the UN Population Fund; and UNICEF; for which fixed percentages of aid were considered to benefit RMNCH. We analysed funding by donor for the 20 largest donors, by recipient-country income group, and by recipient for the 16 countries with the greatest RMNCH need, defined as the countries with the worst levels in 2015 on each of seven health indicators.

Foreign Aid and Child Mortality Rate in Nigeria

“…The negative relationship between foreign aids and the child mortality rate is in line with a priori expectation and shows that aid flow to Nigeria has contributed to reducing child mortality in Nigeria. This finding is in line with Kotsadam et al (2018) and Banchani & Swiss (2019), but in contrast with Dingle et al (2020), Yousuf (2012), and Johnson & Peter (2009). Also, the adverse effects of government expenditure and economic growth on child mortality http://journal.uinjkt.ac.id/index.php/signifikan DOI: htttp://doi.org/10.15408/sjie.v9i2.14960…”

Equity of resource flows for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health: are those most in need being left behind?

“…Using the Muskoka2 method we estimate that donor aid for RMNCH increased by 42% between 2010 and 2017 among donors that reported data for both years (average annual rates of increase, 5.1%) 4. This represents an improvement in vertical equity at a global level.…”

“…Vertical equity of donor funds for reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health (RMNCH) between 2002 and 2017 4. Concentration curves showing the alignment of global aid to RMNCH with different measures of need in 2002, 2010, and 2017 (only countries with available data are shown).…”

“…Horizontal equity of donor funds for reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health (RMNCH) between 2002 and 20174: aid to RMNCH by maternal and neonatal health (top), aid for child health by number of children under 5 (middle), and aid to maternal, and neonatal health per birth (bottom). Countries are grouped respectively by neonatal mortality, under 5 mortality, and country income group to show within group horizontal inequity.…”

“…The Muskoka2 approach therefore uses various assumptions to disaggregate aid specific to RMNCH from aid for other areas. Although these estimates have been developed through expert opinion and previous analyses of funding distribution,4 they are necessarily uncertain.…”