Tracking spending on prevention, preparedness and response to global health threats

As the risk of global health threats grows, better tracking of spending on prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) activities is needed to inform decisions on sustainable investments. This policy brief presents initial findings on PPR spending in the health sector across different country groupings. In lower-income countries, most PPR expenditure is financed through external sources, including official development assistance, highlighting how recent cuts to international aid budgets could undermine global preparedness. The findings are anchored in the OECD’s strong collaboration with the World Health Organization, the World Bank, Eurostat and other relevant stakeholders, including through joint work in the G20 and other international fora. The current analysis focuses on activities in the System of Health Accounts that combat diseases of pandemic potential and support the fight against other global health threats, from antimicrobial resistance to chemical, radiological and biosecurity risks. Over the longer term, the aim is to extend this methodology to track actual PPR spending across all relevant sectors, including animal health, agriculture and defence.