World Bank

World Bank/ UNAIDS Economics Reference Group

Introduction
In November 2006 the Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal was appointed as the Secretariat for the Economics Reference Group ( ERG) for the World Bank and UNAIDS.

The UNAIDS/World Bank ERG was formed in 2001 as an advisory body to provide expert economic advice on policy and operations around HIV. It serves as a forum for analysis and review, and informs UNAIDS, the World Bank, the UN and national policymakers on key findings and research trends.
The primary objective of the ERG is to serve as an advisory body to the UNAIDS Secretariat and the World Bank, and to provide an expert economic perspective on specific policy and operational questions raised by the UNAIDS cosponsoring organisations regarding various economic policy areas.

The ERG is to provide a forum for reviewing and initiating analyses on these issues, which in turn inform the UNAIDS Secretariat, the World Bank, the wider UN system and national policymakers. The ERG's focus will be on the identification of knowledge gaps and collectively endorsed recommendations for policy research, methodologies and operational responses in these areas, rather than on the primary production of research or estimates.

HEARD's role is to govern and implement the ERG agenda, convening eight to 10 core members from sub-economic disciplines. Topics and focus areas emanate from the World Bank and UNAIDS, and are tied to its grant to the Secretariat agency. As the ERG Secretariat, HEARD provides support and intellectual leadership to the ERG, and coordinates meetings of the group, including the compilation of relevant literature and background notes and materials in preparation for these meetings.

Activities

The next meeting of the ERG will be held on 11 and 12 November 2008, in Geneva.

First Meeting 3-4 May 2007
The first meeting of the ERG was held on 3 and 4 May in Washington DC, focusing on the theme: "Analysis of the Labour Market Implications of Scaling up Services for HIV Prevention and AIDS Treatment, Care and Mitigation". HEARD's Jacqui Hadingham and Alan Whiteside coordinated and attended the meeting, along with economists from various sub-disciplines, and representatives from the World Bank and UNAIDS. Three background papers were presented to stimulate discussion and provide information on issues being researched in the field. Gaps in the current economic knowledge base were identified. It was apparent that much information is still needed in order to make informed and effective decisions with regard to setting policy around HIV programmes and funding at a global level.

• ERG 3-4 May Proceedings
• McCoy - May 2007
• McPake - June 2007
• Barnighausen, Bloom - July 2007

Second Meeting 8-9 November 2007
The second meeting of the UNAIDS/World Bank Economics Reference Group (ERG) was held on 8 and 9 November 2007 in Geneva. The ERG Secretariat (Jacqui Hadingham and Alan Whiteside) coordinated and participated in the meeting. It was also attended by members of the ERG and representatives from the World Bank, UNDP, UNAIDS and UNESCO.
The topic of the meeting, The Impact of HIV and AIDS on Educational Attainment and Human Capital, generated interesting debate and produced a set of draft policy recommendations for UNAIDS, its cosponsors and The World Bank.
Three background papers were presented at the meeting:
• Estimating the Impact Of HIV and AIDS on The Supply Of Basic Education
• The Effect of HIV/AIDS on Educational Attainment
• Orphanhood and Schooling in South Africa

Some of the points of debate around policy included ensuring that teachers are present in schools and classrooms, and that they remain HIV-negative. In addition, it was suggested that ART provision to teachers might be prioritised, perhaps though Teachers Unions. It was noted that the implementation of birth registration would facilitate education planning and access to schooling. The special vulnerabilities of children affected by HIV should be borne in mind, as should the quality of education for all children.

• ERG 8-9 November Proceedings
• Fortson - October 2007
• Ardington - October 2007
• Risley, Bundy - October 2007

Third Meeting: 28-29 April 2008
The ERG met for the third time in Washington DC, and the meeting was well-attended, by the core ERG members as well as by members of UNDP, WHO, UNAIDS and The World Bank.
The topic under discussion for the meeting, Health Systems and HIV Programmes: The Vertical/Horizontal Debate, was particularly interesting, with background papers serving to highlight the dearth of information on the subject.
Papers presented included the following:
• Health systems and AIDS: what results of investments in HIV/AIDS?
• Too much of a good thing? Potential economic consequences of donor-financed HIV/AIDS spending
• Health systems and HIV Programmes - The Vertical & Horizontal Debate
• Is There a Crowding Out at the Health Facility Level? Preliminary Results from Burkina Faso
• Assessing the Macro-Micro Economic Implications of Financing MDG-Levels of HIV/AIDS Expenditure

The Group was also delighted to have Joy Phumaphi, Vice President of the Human Development Network at the World Bank, join the meeting for the Summary Session. Various issues arose out of this meeting, including the need for global harmonization of HIV programmes, the inclusion of major players in future planning and the need for more research to be undertaken on the subject of how HIV programmes affect other health and development priorities.

• ERG 28-29 April Proceedings
• Compernolle, et al - February 2008
  
• Serieux - March 2008
• Grepin, Jack - April 2008

ERG Satellite Session at XVII International AIDS Conference

The ERG hosted a Satellite Session at this year's International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, on Sunday 3rd August 2008. The session was well attended and showcased some of the work and interests of the ERG. Presentations by four speakers facilitated debate about the various topics presented, and the session helped to highlight the role and objectives of the ERG. The proceedings of the Session are provided in the link below.

Date:    Sunday 3 August 2008

Time:    15h45 - 17h45

Venue: Centro Banamex Convention Centre, Room 4, Skills Building

Links to visit:

http://www.aids2008.org/

ERG Satellite Session (Flyer)

ERG Satellite Session - 3 August 2008

Resources

Below are links to pdf documents relating to the World Bank/UNAIDS ERG resources that may be of interest. Please click on the links to view the papers.

• Barninghausen, Bloom - April 2008
• Loewensen, et al - July 2007
• Barninghausen, Bloom - May 2008
• Shaeffer - 1994
• Anderson et al - February 2008
• Angrist, et al - 2002
• Bennell, et al - February 2002
• Car-Hill, et al - 2002
• Delfin, et al - August 2007
• Glewwe, et al - July 2000
• Hargreaves, et al - 2008
• Barnighausen, Bloom - June 2008