MONROVIA, Liberia — A new analysis reveals that Liberia has disbursed only 35. 5% of the approved funding for Primary Health Care (PHC) over a five-year period, a figure that underscores significant inefficiencies in budget execution and raises concerns about the sustainability of essential health services. The report, jointly launched by the Public Health Initiative Liberia (PHIL) and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), indicates that the US$79.
36 million allocated for PHC between 2020 and 2024 was reduced to US$28. 21 million actually disbursed, with a resultant funding gap of approximately US$51 million.
The analysis, which is based on data from various sources including the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Ministry of Health, GAVI co — financing records, and international health databases, points to a persistent issue of budget execution inefficiencies, with just 6% of the 2020 PHC funds being spent. This revelation comes alongside a stark inequality in health financing, with the government allocating only US$3.94 per person annually on PHC, contrasted with an average US$40.16 paid out of pocket by households, representing a 10-to-1 disparity.
The report also highlights that Liberia’s contribution to GAVI’s vaccine programs was well below the required 20% co-financing threshold, with the government contributing just US$2.33 million between 2020 and 2024. As the World Bank prepares to withdraw its vaccine financing in 2026, the government faces the challenge of absorbing an additional US$1.06 million annually.
PHIL Executive Director Joyce L. Kilikpo emphasizes the urgency of the situation, noting that the issue is not merely about acquiring new resources but ensuring that approved funds are effectively allocated to where they are most needed. The report outlines several recommendations, including developing a domestic resource mobilization strategy, addressing budget execution bottlenecks, and aiming to increase health sector spending to meet the African Union’s 15% Abuja Declaration target.
Source: allafrica
