GHI Interagency Team Releases Initial Health Results

When the Obama Administration established the Global Health Initiative (GHI) in 2009, working groups from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), State Department's Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) identified eight broad health goals. We recently shared an update on the next phase of GHI. While we are working out specific details, we want to reassure you that the work of GHI is continuing at the country level and is producing significant results toward these goals.

The GHI team set up evaluation criteria, collected data, and has created a website to demonstrate progress located here:

http://www.ghi.gov/about/goals/index.htm

The indicators and data presented are based on global standards and represent significant discussion among U.S. Government technical staff and leadership to offer the best evidence in one place at one time. That said, these health programs are complex and present some challenges in terms of measurement. Before we launch this information in a more formal way, we would appreciate your help in refining the methodology presented. In the coming weeks, we will convene public sessions with non-U.S. Government colleagues to collect and synthesize feedback. Our team is looking for comments and suggestions on how we might improve the following areas:

• Methodology for measuring progress against the targets
• Format (look and feel) of the website
• Usability and Navigation
• Content

Once we have consulted widely, we will publish a final version of the website and will continue to update it periodically.

While the GHI targets are stated by individual health areas (e.g., malaria or tuberculosis), the supporting programs work in synergy to achieve a greater combined impact. Please note that many of these goals are measured through high-level impact indicators. The results, therefore, are not solely attributable to U.S. Government efforts, but are achieved through a coordinated effort of the host country governments, donors and key stakeholders. We have noted in the more detailed measurement section those indicators that are closely related to U.S. Government-specific activities.

Despite the constrained fiscal environment, the Administration remains committed to the long-term goals of GHI. Health continues to be made a priority, accounting for 25 percent of our foreign assistance budget, which makes the United States the largest donor in the world for the sector. The GHI was envisioned to include funding from fiscal years (FY) 2009-2014. While GHI has appropriated funding for FY 2009-2012, we are now just beginning to execute the third year of the Initiative and are already making significant progress in each health area.

Please submit questions and comments to Annie Schwartz at aschwartz@usaid.gov. Thank you for helping us improve this important report on global health progress.