Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 12/2012

Salt, Sugar, and Malaria Pills: How the Affordable Medicine Facility–malaria endangers public health

October 2012

Oxfam Publishing

Abstract

The Affordable Medicine Facility–malaria has shown no evidence that it has saved the lives of the most vulnerable or delayed drug resistance. Rather, this global subsidy has incentivised medicine sales without diagnosis and shown no evidence that it has served poor people. It poses a risk to public health and could skew investment away from effective solutions. Evidence shows that a public-public partnership between community health workers and primary health care facilities can fight malaria and deliver on other public health outcomes. But will donors listen to the evidence?