The IMF Programs and Health Spending

Some critics have alleged that IMF programs in low-income countries unnecessarily limit health spending and inadvertently hurt poor people. CGD’s Working Group Report on IMF Programs and Health Spending, led by David Goldsbrough, examined the Fund’s influences on health spending and generated six recommendations to help clarify its role in low-income countries.

The IMF responses to the report indicated broad agreement on all six and were included in a series of IMF policy papers. The IMF board welcomed the working group’s recommendation to limit the use of wage bill ceilings to exceptional cases justified in a transparent manner.