Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries
December 4th, 2009
The following guest post by Maureen Lewis, Ph.D., Advisor to the World Bank’s Chief Economist, is part of Disruptive Women’s “The Value of Health: Creating Economic Security in the Developing World” series.
Maureen was formerly the Chief Economist Human Development and Advisor to the Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank. Much of her research, publications and policy work examine governance and efficiency in the social sectors, particularly health.
Health is a concern in all countries. But in the developing world poor women bear a disproportionate brunt of poor access and low quality health care.
But the solutions to poor health in developing countries aren’t always obvious. Moreover they vary across countries. First, all developing countries aren’t alike and national incomes range from less than $200 per capita to almost ten times that, which means that their capacity to manage and pay for public health differs. Despite the popular perception of high poverty in poor countries, the majority of poor families live in the large Middle Income Countries like Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and Mexico, rather than in Africa. Hence health priorities vary. The one constant is that health care is always complex
What is critical to good health for mothers and children in poorest countries? All studies point to the overwhelming importance of mothers’ education, as well as to clean water and immunizations. Even with just some education, mothers are better able to prevent illness, and know when, where and how to obtain medical care. But that is just half of the equation.
Good health care can be helpful but in the poorest countries government provided and financed health care is often plagued by quality shortfalls. The poorer the country the larger the share of out of pocket payments and the least likely there is to be health insurance. Virtually all countries have a thriving private sector and it serves all income levels.
In many developing and transition countries government financed and operated health care services face some common operating problems like high levels of absent medical staff and shortages of drugs and supplies.
But many of the issues facing developing countries’ health care systems mirror some of those confronting the US in our drive for health reform. For example, who pays for health care, who is to be subsidized, how to control costs and how to balance interest group demands all remain relevant to health care reform across the globe.
What to do about lack of access, poor quality? First, money alone isn’t enough and can be problematic if there is too much of it and not enough capacity to use it. Local not for profits are vitally important and often do a better and less expensive job than the public sector in delivering health care. Second, public sector institutions need strengthening and greater accountability in their health care delivery. And finally, education, formal and informal, can’t be forgotten if the ultimate goal of healthy women and children is to be achieved everywhere.
Related posts:
- Private Sector Contribution to Developing Countries’ Health Unheralded
- The Value of Health: Creating Economic Security in the Developing World: Disruptive Women in Health Care is Going Global with a New Series and e-Book on Global Health
- It’s High Time for Higher Goals
- Employment : A Public Health Intervention
December 4th, 2009 at 11:09 am
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Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post]
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December 4th, 2009 at 11:30 am
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RT @HealthCompare: Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post]
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December 4th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Interesting article, thank you for posting it.
As an African, I recognize many of the issues you raise. Healthcare is a challenge. Many of the stereotypes around Africa would have us believe those challenges have rendered the continent incapable of rising above the disease and pestilence. In some cases this is true, but in others Africa is developing innovative solutions and strategies to cope.
One thing I have learned from how Africa tackles some of its problems is through taking a small scale solution and replicating it within a similar model structure. Scaling horizontally verses scaling through size. Small, community driven solutions, based upon local culture, norms, values and most importantly available resources work because they are relevant and contextual. Taking the best practices and replicating the ones that are relevant, while adjusting the ones that are not provides workable solutions. Scaling in size through a centralized body often looses many of the very things that makes a system work. The West loves to automate and scale.
There are some exciting medical care solutions coming out of Africa, some of them have implications for how the rest of the world will look at healthcare. The use of systems like Frontlinesms:Medic http://medic.frontlinesms.com/ have transformed communities and empowered medical practitioners in Africa. This success has translated into the system spreading to other parts of the world, not just the developing world but the First World too.
Thank you for highlighting the problems that Africa faces. Africa is in desperate need of partnership, assistance, training and understanding. It is exciting that Africa too, has the ability to teach the world a few things too.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Thank you for your post Alasdair. I am familiar with Frontlinesmsm:Medic and am excited about the potential of mobile health–both abroad and in the US.
Africa and its people have much to teach us and I look forward to learning more about some of the local solutions that are working.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
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RT @HealthCompare: Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post] //good to see discussion
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December 4th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
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RT @africastrategy: RT @HealthCompare: Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post] //good to see discussion
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December 4th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
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My new favorite blog? [link to post] Keep up the good work, @disruptivewomen!
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December 4th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
WOW…thanks JCSAVAGE!
December 6th, 2009 at 10:20 am
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Good series on “The Value of Health: Creating Economic Security in the Developing World” from @disruptivewomen [link to post]
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