Achieving the MDGs: at what cost?

Mark Pearson, February 2009

More spending is needed if progress towards the MDGs is to be accelerated, but extra funding can come with risks. Those working to achieve the health MDGs cannot ignore the macroeconomic implications of injecting additional external resources into weak economies. These issues remain relevant despite the challenges of the current financial and economic crisis.

This paper provides an overview of the debates surrounding how much is needed to achieve the health MDGs, how such funds might be raised, and some of the impacts of scaling up, particularly on macroeconomic stability.