Editing Aid effectiveness (section)

=== Aid priorities ===
Laurie Garret, author of the article "The Challenge of Global Health" points out that the current aid and resources are being targeted at very specific, high-profile diseases, rather than at general [[public health]].  Aid is "stovepiped" towards narrow, short-term goals relating to particular programs or diseases such as increasing the number of people receiving anti-retroviral treatment, and increasing distribution of bed nets. These are band aid solutions to larger problems, as it takes healthcare systems and infrastructure to create significant change.  Donors lack the understanding that effort should be focused on broader measures that affect general well-being of the population, and substantial change will take generations to achieve. Aid often does not provide maximum benefit to the recipient, and reflects the interests of the donor.<ref name="Garrett">{{cite journal |last=Garrett |first=Laurie |title=The Challenge of Global Health |journal=Foreign Affairs |volume=86 |issue=1}}</ref>

Furthermore, consider the breakdown, where aid goes and for what purposes.  In 2002, total gross foreign aid to all developing countries was $76 billion.  Dollars that do not contribute to a country's ability to support basic needs interventions are subtracted.  Subtract $6 billion for debt relief grants. Subtract $11 billion, which is the amount developing countries paid to developed nations in that year in the form of loan repayments.  Next, subtract the aid given to middle income countries, $16 billion.  The remainder, $43 billion, is the amount that developing countries received in 2002.  But only $12 billion went to low-income countries in a form that could be deemed budget support for basic needs.<ref name="Sachs">Sachs, Jeffrey D. 2005. The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. New York: Penguin Books.</ref> When aid is given to the [[Least Developed Countries]] who have good governments and strategic plans for the aid, it is thought that it is more effective.<ref name="Sachs" />