Global Health
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CGD recognizes the importance of global health as a critical component of development, and actively engages in policy research to improve the outcomes of donor decision-making in this area. Under the direction of Ruth Levine, the Center's Global Health Policy Research Network (GHPRN) convenes specialized Working Groups of academic, policy and implementation experts to identify global health problems, conduct technical analyses, and develop viable solutions. Issues addressed by PRN Working Groups include the analysis of successful public health interventions, how to stimulate rigorous evaluation of health and other social development programs, the tracking of health expenditures, and the creation of market incentives for vaccine development. Future research will examine innovations in service delivery and strategies to improve the supply of health products. In addition to the PRN, other CGD activities include Maureen Lewis' research on health and population in development and the economics of the AIDS epidemic, Steven Radelet's analysis of donor programs for HIV/AIDS assistance, and the development of a research agenda on the relationship between reproductive health and micro- and macro-economic outcomes, under the leadership of Nancy Birdsall and Ruth Levine. CGD is featured in the online journal Globalization and Health Site Article4 Ways To Spend $60 Billion Wisely [WP] - 07/02/2006CGD non-resident fellow William Easterly presents his thoughts on what the Gates Foundation should consider for spending $61 billion in an effort to reduce global poverty. Now, a Global Health Policy blog - 04/10/2006CGD marked World Health Day (April 7) with the launch of Global Health Policy, a group blog that discusses issues facing the donor community on everything from HIV/AIDS financing to pharmaceutical R&D to broader health system concerns. The new blog builds upon the success of Owen Barder's pathbreaking Vaccines for Development blog. Barder will continue to blog on vaccines and other health issues on Global Health Policy, which offers RSS feeds on key health policy topics. Sex and Development - 04/30/2007
What You Can't Catch Can Still Kill You - 07/09/2007While nearly all global health funding is aimed at diseases you can catch, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases--such as diseases related to diet, lack of exercise, and tobacco use--are now the leading cause of death in developing countries, according to a new World Bank report. Rachel Nugent, CGD senior health program associate, explores some of the implications of this overlooked trend--and points to possible rich-world complicity. Read the blog and comment HIV/AIDS Monitor Profiles Big Three: Global Fund, PEPFAR, World Bank - 05/30/2006The HIV/AIDS Monitor tracks the aid effectiveness of the three biggest financing mechanisms responding to the epidemic: the Global Fund, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the World Bank Africa MAP. Despite a common commitment to fighting the disease, each donor approaches the problem differently. New short profiles of the big three provide a snapshot of the global response to HIV/AIDS. Learn more A New Drug Deal: Kremer Makes Case for Vaccines in Newsweek Interview - 11/28/2005Harvard Professor Michael Kremer, a non-resident fellow at CGD, makes the case for an advance market commitment for vaccines for developing countries in an interview in the current issue of Newsweek. Kremer is a co-author of the CGD report Making Markets for Vaccines: Ideas to Action. Africa's Rural Areas Suffer Most from Health Care Worker Exodus - 11/20/2006CGD research fellow Michael Clemens was interviewed for this VOA article on the migration of African health care workers. Analysis: Cures for Disease Neglect - 05/19/2006p>Senior program associate Owen Barder was interviewd for this article about incentives for vaccine research for diseased that affect the world's poorest populations. Averting Avian Flu - 11/14/2005
Better Forecasts of Demand for Medicines in Developing Countries Could Save Millions of Dollars--and Lives - 05/29/2007
Board Stymied on Picking New AIDS, TB Chief - 11/02/2006Senior fellow Steve Radelet was quoted in this article about the decision of the Global Fund's board not to select a new Executive Director during their recent talks in Guatemala City. From the article: Steven Radelet, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank Center for Global Development, which recently produced a report on new challenges facing the fund, said the failure to elect a new leader "is not good for the organization," but added that "trying to force through one candidate wouldn't be good, either." "I think it's a good process in that they clearly give voice to developing countries in a much stronger way" than the World Bank or International Monetary Fund, he said. Read CGD's latest report Challenges and Opportunities for the New Executive Director of the Global Fund: Seven Essential Tasks Closing the Evaluation Gap - 06/05/2006
Each year billions of dollars are spent on thousands of programs to improve health and education in the developing world but very few programs are rigorously evaluated to learn if they make a difference. A CGD proposal to fix this longstanding problem is gaining momentum. The final report of the CGD Evaluation Gap Working Group released last week recommends the creation of a new, independent entity that would corral the good intentions of stakeholders to ensure an adequate supply of rigorous impact evaluations. Learn More Does the G-8 Suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder? - 07/10/2006
Does the IMF Constrain Health Spending in Poor Countries? - 07/23/2007
Drugmakers Rediscover Vaccine Niche - 05/10/2007Senior fellow and director of programs Ruth Levine was quoted in this article from the New Jersey Star Ledger discussing the lag time of vaccine delivery to Developing countries. Drugs for the Poor - 04/18/2005On April 18, 2005, the pharmaceutical industry magazine Chemical and Engineering News, cited CGD's report on Making Markets for Vaccines, in the article Drugs for the Poor. Economic Crisis Takes Country Back 50 Years - 07/22/2005This article appearing in the Zimbabwe Independent is based on a recent CGD note titled, Costs and Causes of Zimbabwe’s Crisis. European Firms Join Fight To Stem Diseases - 04/26/2005Senior Fellow Muareen Lewis's Financial Times editorial, Aids Requires a Lateral Approach was cited in this article appearing in Noticias. Foreign Aid Has Flaws. So What? [NYT] - 06/13/2006New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, notes the importance of CGD's book, Millions Saved in showing achievements in development through successful health initiatives. G7 to Pilot Advance Market Commitment for Vaccines - 12/05/2005
Global Fund Grant Programmes: An Analysis of Evaluation Scores - 06/05/2007The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has quickly become one of the world's largest funders of programs fighting the three diseases. Just five years after its founding, the Global Fund had approved proposals worth $6.8 billion for 448 programs in 136 countries, and disbursed over $3 billion. It now contributes two thirds of all donor resources globally to fight TB, half for malaria, and one quarter for HIV/AIDS. Health bargains in poor nations: A few dollars can buy years of life - 04/03/2006Senior fellow Ruth Levine is quoted in this Seattle Post article announcing the launch of the book, Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, Second Edition, which features case studies from CGD's, Millions Saved. Help Us Close the Evaluation Gap! - 11/07/2005
Despite billions of dollars spent on developing country health and education programs, little systematic evaluation has been done to discover what works and what doesn't. Are you a development professional who shares our concern about this lack of evaluation? You can help us figure out how to close it by taking this brief survey. How Much AIDS Vaccine Do Poor Countries Really Want? - 01/03/2007CGD's Global Health Forecasting Working Group is cited in this Scientific American article about finding ways to better understand the "demand" for medicines in the Developing world. Ideas to Action: CGD and Global Health - 09/26/2005This week marks the launch of an expanded web presence, and an international convening of researchers, for CGD's Global Health Policy Research Network (Global Health PRN). The Global Health PRN brings together leading experts in public health, economics and other social science and technical fields to develop original, focused research on high-priority global health policy issues. Learn more about the Global Health PRN Keep Hope - 12/01/2006CGD's research on creating an Advance Market commitment for vaccines was cited in this Washington Post editorial that discusses the impact vaccines have on saving lives at a low cost. Millions Saved: Proven Successes in Global Health- Book Review - 08/12/2005Review of Millions Saved appearing in the Journal of Public Health Policy. Money Floods Poor Countries Fighting AIDS - 05/23/2005Senior Fellow Maureen Lewis spoke on NPR’s All Things Considered segment on AIDS and macroeconomics. Not just for profit, or not just? - 11/04/2005Michael Kremer and CGD's work on Advance Market Commitment's for Vaccines is cited in this editorial by the Guardian. PATH searches for new vaccine for pneumonia - 04/03/2006CGD senior program associate, Owen Barder was quoted in this Seattle Times article referencing CGD's work on advance market commitments to produce vaccines that affect the developing world. From the article: Potential Flu Outbreak Has Economists Worried - 07/09/2005Senior Fellow Maureen Lewis’s research is cited in this Cox News article following a presentation at the National Economists Club in July. Report on Child Deaths Finds Some Hope in Poorest Nations [NYT] - 05/08/2007Ruth Levine author of the, Center for Global Development, book Millions Saved was cited in this New York Times article by Celia Dugger that reports on successful reductions in child deaths in Egypt and other Developing countries. Vaccine Advance-Purchase Agreements For Low-Income Countries: Practical Issues - 05/01/2005Health Affairs May/June issue features CGD's work on creating an advanced commitment market for vaccine development. CGD PublicationA Trickle or a Flood: Commitments and Disbursement for HIV/AIDS from the Global Fund, PEPFAR, and the World Bank's Multi-Country AIDS Program (MAP)03/05/2007, Michael Bernstein and Myra SessionsAddressing the Challenge of HIV/AIDS: Macroeconomic, Fiscal and Institutional Issues - Working Paper 5804/26/2005, Maureen LewisAIDS Treatment and Intrahousehold Resource Allocations: Children's Nutrition and Schooling in Kenya - Working Paper 10501/22/2007, Harsha Thirumurthy, Joshua Graff Zivin and Markus GoldsteinBeyond TRIPS: A New Global Patent Regime08/01/2002, Jean Olson LanjouwChallenges and Opportunities for the New Executive Director of the Global Fund: Seven Essential Tasks10/26/2006, Steve Radelet, ChairCost-Effective Prevention of Diarrheal Diseases: A Critical Review - Working Paper 11704/16/2007, Michael Kremer and Alix Peterson ZwaneCosts and Causes of Zimbabwe's Crisis07/20/2005, Michael Clemens and Todd MossDo Visas Kill? Health Effects of African Health Professional Emigration - Working Paper 11403/09/2007, Michael ClemensDoes the IMF Constrain Health Spending in Poor Countries? (Brief)07/23/2007, David GoldsbroughDoes the IMF Constrain Health Spending in Poor Countries? Evidence and an Agenda For Action07/23/2007, David GoldsbroughDoes the Private Sector Care About AIDS?
01/20/2006, Vijaya Ramachandran, Manju Kedia Shah and Ginger Turner |
2004 Commitment to Development Index Rankings: Defining Global LeadershipApril 28, 2004
The Center for Global Development and FOREIGN POLICY Magazine unveiled the second annual Commitment to Development Index during a policy seminar on April 28, 2004.
A Broken Landscape: HIV & AIDS in AfricaMay 1, 2002
The Center hosted a photo exhibit - A Broken Landscape: HIV & AIDS in Africa. The evening included a discussion with Paul Kwengwere Program Support Director, ActionAid Malawi; and Paul Ehmer, Global Bureau of Health, USAID.
Access to Medicines: The Puzzling Case of PraziquantelJune 15, 2005
Michael R. Reich, Taro Takemi Professor of International Health Policy, Harvard School of Public Health and Director, Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies gave a talk entitled "Access to Medicines: The Puzzling Case of Praziquantel."
AIDS and South Africa: The Social Expression of a PandemicJune 1, 2004
David Lindauer visited CGD to talk about his book, "AIDS and South Africa: The Social Expression of a Pandemic" edited by Kyle K. Kauffman and David L. Lindauer.
Donor Funding Priorities for Communicable Disease Control in the Developing WorldOctober 11, 2005
Jeremy Shiffman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Administration, The Maxwell School of Syracuse University, will present his paper "Donor Funding Priorities for Communicable Disease Control in the Developing World."
Fighting AIDS, TB, and Malaria: Innovations and ChallengesFebruary 15, 2005
On February 15, 2005 CGD hosted the conference, Fighting AIDS, TB, and Malaria: Innovations and Challenges, that brought together leaders from the World Bank, The Global Fund, and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The conference addressed the challenges associated with fostering local ownership, proper allocation of funding and the creation of incentives on the impact and functionality of the Global Fund, the World Bank and PEPFAR operations.
HIV/AIDS in Africa: What WorksJanuary 8, 2003
CGD and John Snow, Inc. (JSI) convened the conference HIV/AIDS in Africa: What Works to highlight successful strategies in response to the growing HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa.
HIV/AIDS: Money, Bottlenecks and the FutureApril 18, 2005
CGD hosted a panel discussion among African ministers of finance, members of the policy and advocacy communities, and senior IMF and World Bank officials on barriers to the disbursement of funds for the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, offering timely insight into a fiercely controversial set of issues.
James HabyarimanaVisiting FellowJames Habyarimana joined the center in September 2004 just after completing his doctoral studies in development economics at Harvard University. His main research in graduate school touched on the role of public finance in improving educational outcomes in Zambia, the disease environment as a constraint to productivity and the benefits of banking relationships to firms. Making Markets for Vaccines: from ideas to actionApril 7, 2005On Thursday April 7, 2005 - World Health Day - CGD launched a report with the potential to save millions of lives. Making Markets for Vaccines: Ideas to Action presents an achievable approach to creating incentives for pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers in the rich world to invest in the research and development of vaccines for diseases that mostly affect the poor world. Measuring Commitment to Health: Using Global Health Indicators to Inform Donor DecisionsSeptember 7, 2006To target development assistance to countries where it will be used most productively, both multilateral and bilateral donor agencies use statistical evidence to elucidate key characteristics of countries that are thought to be associated with the effectiveness of aid. Influential research has suggested that aid is more effective in good policy environments than in ones characterized by high levels of corruption, weak administration of public services, and other features of "poor governance." This research has given momentum to calls for greater selectivity in the provision of development assistance, and both public and private donors have sought ways to measure such features as the quality of public administration, business friendliness, and efficient allocation of public resources toward poverty reduction. Michael KremerNon-Resident FellowMichael Kremer is Professor of Economics at Harvard University and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Kremer received the Macarthur Fellowship in 1997, serves as Associate Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and has been published in the Financial Times. Selected Works Making Markets for Vaccines: Ideas to ActionMillions Saved LaunchDecember 7, 2004
On December 7, the Center for Global Development formally launched a new book, Millions Saved: Proven Successes in Global Health, at the Kaiser Family Foundation. Millions Saved provides both inspiration in the face of many daunting global health challenges, and policy-relevant information about how major successes can be achieved in the future.
Missing the Mark: Girls' Education and the Way ForwardMarch 2, 2005The event was organized by the Center for Global Development (CGD), the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) and the UN Millennium Project. Patient Abuse: South Africa's Struggle for AIDS TreatmentMarch 15, 2002
The Center hosted a movie presentation: Patient Abuse: South Africa's Struggle for AIDS Treatment.
Ruth Levine
Vice President for Programs and Operations, and Senior FellowRuth Levine is an internationally recognized expert on global health and health policy. She is a health economist with more than 15 years of experience designing and assessing the effects of social sector programs in Latin America, Eastern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. As CGD vice president for programs and operations, she is a member of the Center’s senior management team. She is also a CGD senior fellow and leads the Center’s work on global health policy, including chairing a series of working groups on key policy and finance constraints to the effective use of donor funding for health programs in low-income countries. Selected Works
Steve Radelet
Senior FellowSteve Radelet works on issues related to foreign aid, developing country debt, economic growth, and trade between rich and poor countries. He also leads CGD's Modernizing U.S. Foreign Assistance and MCA Monitor initiatives. Selected Works The Gateway Ambassadors of GhanaJune 13, 2003
CGD hosted a Development Matters event featuring the Gateway Ambassadors (GA) of Ghana. The GA gave a rousing performance of song and spoken word.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Potential, Progress, and Challenges for the FutureJuly 1, 2004
Steven Radelet, Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development, presented the results of his analysis of the Global Fund, examining the Fund’s unique structure as a foreign aid institution, its progress to date, and the major challenges it faces going forward.
The Long-Run Economic Costs of AIDS: New Results for KenyaSeptember 28, 2004
Shantayanan Devarajan, Chief Economist for South Asia Region at the World Bank presented his paper, The Long-Run Economic Costs of AIDS: New Results for Kenya. The paper discusses the loss in human capital due to HIV/AIDS.
What Kind of Government is Good for the Poor?June 24, 2004
Professor Michael L. Ross, Dept. of Political Science, University of California-Los Angeles, will present "What King of Government is Good for the Poor?" Peter Timmer, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development will serve as the discussant.
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The sudden resignation of Randall Tobias as the U.S. director of foreign assistance after he admitted using a high-end call girl firm is more than a mere sex scandal. As the top U.S. development official, Tobias was responsible for overseeing the "Anti-Prostitution Pledge" which restricts recipients of U.S. funds from providing services to sex workers, thus undermining efforts to help some of the world's most vulnerable women and to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. Lawrence MacDonald, CGD director of communications and policy, credits Tobias for having the good sense to recognize evident hypocrisy and resign quickly. 
CGD Senior Fellow 
Rich countries and private philanthropies spend billions of dollars every year to buy medicines for poor people in developing countries but the lack of reliable demand forecasts creates shortages and raises prices. CGD is proposing a practical new solution: a neutral third party--neither buyer nor seller--to aggregate information on anticipated demand and use it to produce reliable forecasts. Developing countries, pharmaceutical companies, and public-private health partnerships are urging that the proposal be implemented. 
As leaders from the world's most powerful nations prepare to gather in St. Petersburg, Russia, this weekend, observers with even a modicum of memory could be forgiven for wondering whether the leaders suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder. After all, it was only one year ago that G-8 leaders met in Gleneagles, Scotland, and--against the background of a massive popular anti-poverty campaign--agreed to do more to reduce global poverty. 
Some critics argue that IMF programs in low-income countries unnecessarily limit health spending, hurting poor people. The IMF argues that its programs are designed to ensure the fiscal stability needed for poverty-reducing growth and that the IMF merely sets targets for overall spending, with countries themselves deciding what part of the total to allocate to health. A CGD working group chaired by visiting fellow David Goldsbrough has concluded that IMF influences on health spending are indirect but potentially significant. The report finds that IMF programs have often been too risk-averse; that the IMF board and management have not made sufficiently clear what is expected of IMF staff in exploring the macroeconomic consequences of alternative aid scenarios; and that wage bill ceilings have been overused and should be limited to situations when burgeoning payrolls threaten macroeconomic stability.
The G7 Finance Ministers announced plans this weekend to work with others on a pilot Advance Market Commitment for a vaccine in 2006. Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti recommended an approach based on a 