Pushing the envelope through the Global Financing Facility: potential impact of mobilizing additional support to scale-up life-saving interventions for women, children and adolescents in 50 high-burden countries

Introduction

The Global Financing Facility (GFF) was launched to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals through scaled and sustainable financing for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N) outcomes. Our objective was to estimate the potential impact of increased resources available to improve RMNCAH-N outcomes, from expanding and scaling-up GFF support in 50 high-burden countries.

Methods

The potential impact of GFF was estimated for the period 2017 to 2030. First, two scenarios were constructed to reflect conservative and ambitious assumptions around resources that could be mobilized by the GFF model, based on GFF Trust Fund resources of US$2.6 billion. Next, GFF impact was estimated by scaling-up coverage of prioritized RMNCAH-N interventions under these resource scenarios. Resource availability was projected using an Excel-based model and health impacts and costs were estimated using the Lives Saved Tool (Version 5.69 b9).

Results

We estimate that the GFF partnership could collectively mobilize US$50-75 billion of additional funds for expanding delivery of life-saving health and nutrition interventions to reach coverage of at least 70% for most interventions by 2030. This could avert 34.7 million deaths – including preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, children, and stillbirths – compared to flatlined coverage, or 12.4 million deaths compared to continuation of historic trends. Under-five and neonatal mortality rates are estimated to decrease by 35% and 34% respectively and stillbirths by 33%.