Health : a vital investment for economic development in eastern Europe and central Asia

The breakdown of the socialist system in the late 20th century gave some of the affected countries the opportunity to establish the prerequisites for sustainable economic development and improved human welfare. However, for others, the dramatic economic decline experienced during the transition years resulted in widespread poverty. Despite some improvement since then, over 60 million people remain poor and more than 150 million are economically vulnerable in the countries of central and eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CEE-CIS).This report is the first comprehensive effort to analyse the economic impact of ill health in the CEE-CIS Region, and much of the evidence it presents about the economic implications of chronic disease - growing rapidly in many low- and middle-income countries - is also relevant beyond the original geographical focus.Health: a vital investment for economic development in eastern Europe and central Asia explores the interdependence of health and economic development, focusing on the Region's significant economic burden of ill health. It also, simultaneously, advocates evidence-based, cost-effective interventions and strategic decisions at the national and international levels as a crucial means to achieving sustained economic growth and poverty reduction in the Region.The authors:Marc Suhrcke is an economist in the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Venice, Italy.Lorenzo Rocco is Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Padova, Italy.Martin McKee is Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Research Director at the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Front Cover 1 Title page 2 About The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies 3 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Contents 6 List of tables 9 List of figures 12 List of boxes 14 List of abbreviations 15 About the authors 20 About WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development 21 Foreword 22 Acknowledgements 24 Executive summary 26 Chapter 1 Introduction 30 Chapter 2 The challenge: combating poverty and promoting economic development 36 Chapter 3 Health and health policy 44 Health status, trends and patterns in CEE-CIS 44 Health policy efforts to date: domestic and international 78 Chapter 4 Health and economic development 120 Economic development determines health 121 Health determines economic development 122 Eight CIS countries (LLH survey) 132 Conclusions 163 Chapter 5 Investing in health 166 Who should invest? 167 How should we invest? 179 Conclusions 221 Chapter 6 Conclusions 222 Annex to Chapter 3 226 Annex to Chapter 4 232 Annex to Chapter 5 249 References 260 European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies - other publications 279 This report is the first comprehensive effort to analyse the economic impact of ill health in the CEE-CIS (Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States) Region. This book explores the interdependence of health and economic development, focusing on the Region's significant economic burden of ill health