Columbia International Affairs Online
CIAO DATE: 8/5/2007
Africa Malaria Day 2007 - Time for a Checkup
2007 April
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Abstract
Funding for malaria control has increased significantly over the past decade, but it is still unclear whether that funding is actually saving lives. Setting targets has emerged in recent years as a key fundraising tool for disease-control programs. However, available evidence shows that most health targets are immeasurable or not measured. Unless performance is measured in a meaningful way and successful policies followed thereafter, current and future malaria funding may not help to save lives and may even be counterproductive. It is time to stop setting meaningless targets.
