Some countries cut their own spending on health when given health aid

In many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, for every $1 (£0.65; €74) received in health aid the government reduces its spending on domestic health by between $0.43 and $1.14, says a study published in the Lancet (doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60233-4). The study does not show where the diverted money goes.

While domestic spending on health care in low income countries doubled from 1995 to 2006, in the poorest countries international aid to governments is replacing domestic health budgets, freeing governments to spend on other priorities.

A systematic analysis of data on the public financing of health care obtained from the World Health Organization and International Monetary Fund found …