When it comes to improving the delivery of health services to developing countries where poverty is very prevalent, it is a very complex issue that involves a number of challenges, including, for example, not having access to health care. There are countries where people have to walk several miles to be able to have access to basic health services. That's one problem. Another problem is lack of predictable resources to be able to put in place a solid health plan in the country. Another problem, of course, is access to medicine. There are others. There are issues related to the capacity of the government.
What Canada is doing, as I mentioned earlier, is dealing with key partners who have experience, working with them in collaboration in order to take a holistic approach to support improved health in developing countries. I've mentioned a few examples: the Muskoka initiative, the Global Fund, the GAVI Alliance. There are others.
Maybe another example that I can provide is the Africa health systems initiative, an initiative that was announced in 2006 by the Prime Minister. It involves $450 million over 10 years, directed to Africa, and the objective is to build health systems in Africa. Specifically, it has three dimensions. One is to increase the number of health workers. That's a key problem. The other is to improve access to ensure that there are health services provided to people in the most difficult areas in the country. The third element is to build health information systems for better planning and better delivery of health systems.
It is a very complex issue that involves a partnership of many global players--Canada and many donors--as well as increased coordination with the partner countries with which we work. Essentially what we're trying to do is to build the capacity of our partner countries to be able, in the long term, to deliver their health services on their own.
I hope that answers the question.