In 1999, the health-oriented Inter-Agency Group on Sector-wide Approaches and Development Cooperation commissioned five country case studies to review the experience with sector-wide approaches to date. This report provides the synthesis of the case study findings from Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, Cambodia, and Vietnam, as well as an exploratory visit to Ethiopia, all of which are involved to some degree with a sector-wide approach to health development. Although there were marked variations between the countries in their commitment to a SWAp and in progress in implementation, it was possible to draw some conclusions about the value of the approach as an aid co-ordination mechanism. Before presenting these conclusions, this report provides detailed information on the development, content, financing and implementation of health sector programmes.