● analyze CONS of the presence and interventions of international health organizations in

the context of global health and development

○ problems they encounter in providing for health
○ partner countries may become dependent
○ possible lack of cultural sensitivity in interventions

International health organizations have been instrumental in addressing global health issues,
but their presence and interventions also come with certain cons. International health
organizations may foster dependency among partner countries, in which the latter becomes
heavily reliant on external funding and assistance to maintain their health systems. This can
make it difficult for countries to achieve long-term sustainability. Mozambique is an example,
whereby aid from donor countries averages to 20% of their total expenditures and 50% of total
health bill comes from donor aid, indicating a significant dependence on international health
organizations and external funding. The country has been working with the World Health
Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Global Fund to
fight infectious diseases and improve health. Despite these efforts, Mozambique still faces
significant challenges in providing adequate healthcare due to limited resources and
infrastructure. Additionally, such organizations may also lack cultural sensitivity and fail to
consider the local context in their interventions. This can lead to decreased effectiveness of
programs and lack of participation from communities. Often, they develop standardized health
interventions that may not be suitable for every context, which can lead to the imposition of
other country-centric models of healthcare on countries with different cultural, social, and
economic backgrounds. Additionally, allocation of resources by these organizations may not
always align with the actual needs of recipient countries. High-profile issues may often be
prioritized over less-publicized but equally pressing health concerns.

References

Ijaiya, G., & Ijaiya, M. (2015). Foreign aid and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa: A

cross-country investigation. South African Journal of Economic and Management

Sciences, 7(3), 542–552. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajems.v7i3.1364

International Medical Volunteers Association. (2019). The Major International Health

Organizations. IMVA. http://www.imva.org/pages/orgfrm.htm

Japan International Cooperation Agency. (2021). Data Collection Survey on the Health System in

Mozambique. Japan International Cooperation Agency Library.