Namibia Hosts Regional Consultation on Sustainable Financing for Sexual and Reproductive Health

Representatives from East and Southern African countries have convened in Windhoek for a regional consultation on strengthening sustainable financing for sexual and reproductive health and rights. The meeting comes as global aid is declining, and there is increasing pressure on healthcare systems. According to Erika Goldson, representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Namibia, official development assistance has decreased by 23.1% in real terms, marking the largest annual decline ever recorded.

The decline in global aid and rising debt obligations have put pressure on healthcare systems in the region. Goldson noted that sovereign debt servicing across Africa now accounts for a larger share of government revenue than healthcare. In East and Southern Africa, median health spending by local governments is only 6% of national expenditure, less than half of the 15% target set under the Abuja Declaration. Despite shrinking budgets, demand for essential maternal health care, modern contraceptives, adolescent health services, and responses to gender-based violence continues to rise.

Goldson warned that demographic demand does not decrease with budgets, and increasing health budgets alone will not address the financing challenges facing the region. She called on governments to improve how resources are allocated and spent, prioritizing sexual and reproductive health and rights in national health strategies, essential benefit packages, and treasury submissions. This includes establishing dedicated budget codes for reproductive health services and products.

Goldson expressed concern about weak budget execution, citing low absorption rates, unpredictable treasury payments, and procurement delays that prevent allocated resources from reaching primary health care facilities. She emphasized that a budget allocation on paper that does not reach primary health care facilities does not save lives. Namibian Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Susan Ndjaleka, stated that sexual and reproductive health and rights are an economic investment that supports human capital development and strengthens primary health care and universal health coverage.

Ndjaleka noted that major donor funding is experiencing a sharp shift, and external aid can no longer be relied upon as the primary safety net for essential health care. She emphasized that sustainable financing for sexual and reproductive health and rights is no longer just a theoretical policy debate but an urgent necessity for health security. According to Ndjaleka, family planning, maternal health care, adolescent and youth services, and interventions against gender-based violence form the core of social and economic resilience.

The regional consultation aims to encourage governments in East and Southern Africa to prioritize sexual and reproductive health and rights in national budgets and improve the effectiveness of public spending. The meeting also seeks to address the challenges of sustainable financing for health care in the region. Ndjaleka emphasized that the time for action is now, and governments must work together to ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights are prioritized in national budgets.

The outcome of the consultation will inform strategies for sustainable financing for sexual and reproductive health and rights in East and Southern Africa. The meeting is expected to contribute to the development of effective solutions to address the financing challenges facing the region's health care systems.

Key points

• - Global aid for health care is declining, and there is increasing pressure on healthcare systems in East and Southern Africa. - Major donor funding is experiencing a sharp shift, and external aid can no longer be relied upon as the primary safety net for essential health care. - Governments in the region are being encouraged to prioritize sexual and reproductive health and rights in national budgets and improve the effectiveness of public spending.