Roxo, Uchechi Global Health Donor Proliferation and Effects in Malawi: Perceptions from Development Agency Leaders. 2024. Radford University, Doctoral Capstone Project. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
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Abstract
The proliferation of donors providing aid to the health sector brings intended and unintended consequences associated with increases and iterations of funding. Well-documented contributions alongside concerns from scholars and critics draw attention to a need for country specific studies on positive and negative effects. Conducted in Malawi, a low-income country,this qualitative study utilized key informant interviews (KII) to explore real-time perceptions from longstanding bilateral and multilateral development agency leaders and counterpart recipient government leaders. Findings from KII offer different views on positive and negative effects of Malawi’s global health donor proliferation environment as well as development agency leaders and government insights. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine perceptions of bilateral and multilateral key development agency leaders and central government leaders to provide first-hand effects on global health donor proliferation in Malawi. Methodology: The Pallas and Ruger (2017) framework guided the global health donor proliferation lens applied to this project. The qualitative study consisted of a two-part process: a rapid Malawi literature and document review followed by KIIs to examine the effects of global health donor proliferation in Malawi. Learnings from peer-reviewed literature informed the KII questionnaires used with bilateral, multilateral, and government leaders to address pertinent issues. In phase two, the researcher conducted 10 of the 15 targeted KIIs then examined findings using the Dedoose web-based application. The researcher also organized, coded, and analyzed the KII responses before identifying themes and recommendations to present in the final project. Findings: Major and minor positive effects emerged from the KII on i) longstanding partnerships, ii) health outcomes, iii) dedicated financing, iv) health workforce support, and v) the Health Sector Strategic Plan III guidance. Major and minor negative effects included i) bypassing local systems and structures, ii) donor dependency, iii) domestic resource mobilization gaps, iv) information systems proliferation, and v) time and management burdens. Most development agency leaders were concerned about the future. Conclusions: Accounts from bilateral agencies, multilateral institutions, and central government leaders suggest opportunities for improving global health donor proliferation. More attention should be devoted to inter-ministerial leadership and cooperation, improved coordination of financial and programmatic investments, and harmonization of human resources for health and health management information systems. Efforts to operationalize the Health Strategic Plan III remain critically important and need to better align donor-supported strategies with national priorities. Implementing change among development agency leaders and the Government of Malawi requires commitment to action.
| Item Type: | Doctoral Capstone Project |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) |
| Divisions: | Radford University > Waldron College of Health and Human Services > Health Sciences Program |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jul 2024 16:52 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Jul 2024 16:52 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/1131 |
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