Tracking global funding for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases

Despite increased global aid for development and health – from 5.6 billion United States dollars (US$) in 1990 to US$ 21.8 billion in 20071 – donors and wider society have become sceptical about the benefits of this aid. This is reflected in a call recently issued by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges Explorations programme for innovative ways to better convey to the public the benefits of global aid.2 Poor tracking of programme outcomes and of funding for global health by both donors and recipients, a problem widely recognized, contributes to the growing doubts.3-4 A United Nations High Level Meeting (UNHLM) held in September 2011 focussed attention on noncommunicable diseases…