International health financing and the response to AIDS

Efforts to finance HIV responses have generated large increases in funding, catalyzed activism and institutional innovation, and brought renewed attention to health issues and systems. The benefits go well beyond HIV programs. The substantial increases in HIV funding are a tiny percentage of overall increases in health financing, with other areas also seeing large absolute increases. Data on health funding suggest an improved "pro-poor" distribution, with Africa benefiting relatively more from increased external flows. A literature review found few evidence-based analyses of the impact of AIDS programs and funding on broader health financing. Conceptual frameworks that would facilitate such analysis are summarized.