Macroeconomics and health : investing in health for economic development : report of the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health

In response to the need to place health at the centre of the development agenda, the Director-General of WHO appointed a Commission on Macroeconomics and Health consisting of a group of leading economists and health experts. The results of their work is presented in this report which offers a new strategy for investing in health for economic development, especially in the world's poorest countries. Based upon a new global partnership of the developing and developed countries the report states that timely and bold action could save at least 8 million lives each year by the end of this decade, extending the life spans, productivity and economic well being of the poor. Such an effort would however require two important initiatives: a significant scaling up of the resources currently spent in the health sector by the poor countries and donors alike; and tackling the non-financial obstacles that have limited the capacity of poor countries to deliver health services. In the report, the experts argue that the linkages of health to poverty reduction and economic growth are much more powerful than is generally understood. The report presents more scientific evidence than ever before to support the argument that health is critical to economic development in poor countries. Disease blocks economic growth. And a previously held argument - that health will automatically improve as a result of economic growth - is not supported by evidence. Diseases will not go away without specific investments in health interventions. Yet, the resources – human, scientific, and financial - exist to succeed, but now must be mobilized. The Commission also outlines a new global framework for access to life-saving medicines that includes norms on differential pricing schemes, broader licensing, and bulk purchase agreement. It also stresses that disease breeds instability and that rich countries are likely to benefit through greater political and social stability in the poor countries, by helping to control the diseases of the poor. Given that just a few conditions account for most of the health deficit, a few health steps could save millions of lives. There are existing, effective interventions for the prevention and control of these conditions, and large reductions in mortality and morbidity can be achieved almost anywhere, even in war zones, if financial resources are adequate. The report concludes that the benefits of the investment in global health would equal at least US $180 billion in direct economic benefits of extended healthy lifespan as of 2015-2020, and roughly the same amount due to faster economic growth, for a total economic gain of at least US $360 billion per year. CONTENTS......Page 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE REPORT......Page 12 Evidence on Health and Development......Page 32 Channels of Influence from Disease to Economic Development......Page 41 The Epidemiology of Disease in Low-Income Countries......Page 51 Addressing the Disease Burden......Page 54 The AIDS Pandemic......Page 58 Levels of Health Spending in Low-Income Countries......Page 64 Mobilizing Greater Domestic Resources for Health......Page 68 Removing the Nonfinancial Constraints to Health Services......Page 75 Placing the Health Sector into a Broader Context of Health Promotion......Page 84 The Supply of Global Knowledge in the Fight Against Disease......Page 87 Access to Essential Medicines......Page 97 The Macroeconomic Benefits of Scaling Up......Page 114 Next Steps......Page 119 Members of the Commission......Page 140 WG1 Health, Economic Growth, and Poverty Reduction......Page 143 WG2 Global Public Goods for Health......Page 144 WG3 Mobilization of Domestic Resources for Health......Page 145 WG4 Health and the International Economy......Page 147 WG5 Improving Health Outcomes of the Poor......Page 148 WG6 Development Assistance and Health......Page 149 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF COMMISSION MEMBERS......Page 152 Working Paper Series......Page 162 Analysis by Development Assistance Committee–Based Income Classification and Disease Classification......Page 170 Analysis of Cost Estimates by Region......Page 180 REFERENCES......Page 190 Policy Memorandums......Page 196 B......Page 198 C......Page 199 D......Page 200 F......Page 201 G......Page 202 H......Page 203 I......Page 204 L......Page 205 M......Page 206 N......Page 207 O......Page 208 P......Page 209 S......Page 210 T......Page 211 W......Page 212 The World Health Organization (WHO) presents the December 20, 2001 Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH) report "Macroeconomics and Health: Investing in Health for Economic Development." The report is available in both PDF and HTML formats. The CMH emphasizes the importance of improving the health of the world's poor in order to improve the economic situation of all countries Describes a strategy for investing in health for economic development, especially in the world's poorest countries. The report proposes a partnership of developing and developed countries, to save eight million lives yearly, in developing countries from infectious diseases and maternal conditions 'Presented to Gro Harlem Bundtland, Director-General of the World Health Organization on 20 December 2001.'