DFID’s latest white paper, Eliminating World Poverty: Building our Common Future shows real promise for Merlin and its Hands up for Health Workers campaign.

Focusing on fragile states and investment towards health systems and health workers, it reflects Merlin approach to health care.

It commits to:

• Investing in fragile states â€" allocating 50 per cent of all bilateral aid to fragile states â€" countries which carry the highest burden of disease
• Allocating £200 million to cover recurring costs, including salaries of health workers
• Investing £6 billion toward health systems by 2015
• Supporting free health care at point of delivery
• Prioritising malnutrition - integrating nutrition and food security, especially for women and young children.

Despite sound recommendations, there is still room for improvement. The following areas could be developed:

• The plans need to be more detailed, as it is not clear how they will be implemented
• Free health care is ideal â€" but who will cover the costs? Clearer instruction is needed on this area
• The white paper explicitly places politics at the centre of decisions about development. This raises questions about how funds will be allocated, where and to what sectors. Investment in support to basic services, such as health, is just as important as investment in justice and security
• The paper states that delivering health care is important for achieving economic growth, and therefore stability. However, it should be made explicit that good health is a fundamental human right.

Carolyn Miller, Chief Executive of Merlin said:

“DFID’s white paper shows real promise. However it must commit to strengthening health systems within fragile states. With over 15 years experience operating in fragile states such as Sudan, Congo and Afghanistan, Merlin has demonstrated that building up a health system, even in the most challenging circumstances, is the most sustainable route to development. DFID must not shy away from approach and must rise to the challenge of re-building health systems fragile states."

 Find out about our policy priorities