Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Accepted in Part
Calculate minimum ODA for training health personnel and invest in health infrastructure in LMICs
Recommendation
The involvement of trained health personnel and access to adequate health care facilities for maternal and newborn health improves health outcomes for the mother and child. The FCDO should support the strengthening of healthcare systems by prioritising investment in the development of health infrastructure, particularly WASH infrastructure. The FCDO should prioritise support for training and retention of health personnel in low-and-middle-income countries. The FCDO should calculate a minimum percentage of ODA to be spent on the training of health personnel in low- and-middle-income countries. It should explain to the Committee why it has chosen this target and ensure adequate commitment of funding. (Paragraph 39) Women and girl’s health
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to support healthcare systems, training, and WASH infrastructure through existing and new programmes like WISH Dividend and the new WASH Systems programme. However, it explicitly rejects setting a minimum percentage of ODA for health personnel training, citing a preference for budget flexibility.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially Agree 30. The FCDO recognises the importance of health workers including midwives for the delivery of SRHR services. We have previously supported the WHO on developing midwifery policy guidance and are currently working with WHO, UNFPA and other partners to produce a new global roadmap on midwifery this this year. 31. The WISH programme includes in-service training and development of health care workers on SRH service delivery such as delivery of long acting and reversible contraception methods and on quality of care improvement. This will continue under WISH Dividend. 32. As outlined in the previous recommendation/conclusion, the FCDO’s new WASH Systems programme will help develop health system infrastructure in health facilities. 33. For the reasons mentioned under conclusion/recommendation 3, the FCDO prefers to protect budget flexibility than set additional sector spending targets.