ODA Spending

How much ODA does the EUI allocate to global health?

EU development spending for global health shrank 15% in 2022 from a peak of US$1.9 billion in 2021 as post-pandemic health spending decreased as the war in Ukraine and other challenges emerged and COVID-19 response became less prominent. If compared to DAC donors, the EU would be the 6^th largest donor to global health in absolute terms.

How does the EUI allocate global health ODA?

Bilateral Spending

99% of EUI funding for health in 2022 was channeled bilaterally, including US$976 million as earmarked funding through multilaterals.

Projects related to infectious disease control, COVID-19 control, and basic healthcare received the largest shares of the EUI’s bilateral health ODA in 2022. Funding for projects related to COVID-19 control decreased by 300% between 2021 and 2022; while funding for projects related to infectious disease control remained stable.

Multilateral Spending and Commitments

See the table below for a summary of the EUI’s recent multilateral pledges.

Funding and Policy Outlook

What is the EUI's current outlook on global health ODA?

Health ODA allocations increased significantly in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Because of COVID-19, the EUI may reach its goal of spending 20% of the NDICI – Global Europe budget on human development. Approximately 10% is meant to go to education, leaving around 10% for other components of human development, including health and social protection. In addition to the EUI’s funding for global health, the current MFF also has a EUR5.1 billion ( US$6 billion) EU4Health program (2021-2027) of which a maximum of 12.5% of funding will go toward global health initiatives. In February 2024, the EU decided to cut EUR1 billion (US$1.1 billion), 20% of the EU4Health budget, and reallocate it to support Ukraine.

On January 29, 2024, the Council approved conclusions on the 'EU Global Health Strategy' for 2022-2023. The strategy builds on the previous strategy from 2010 and aims to expand the EU's international leadership role in global health. It confirms the EU’s support for global health multilaterals, including the WHO. The three main priorities of the strategy include:

• Delivering better health and well-being of people across the life course;
• Strengthening health systems and advancing universal health coverage; and
• Preventing and combatting health threats, including pandemics, applying a 'One Health' approach Member states and the European Parliament will debate the strategy in early 2023. The Swedish EU Council presidency is planning to hold Council conclusions on it in May 2023.

Key Bodies