A massive injection of Western aid to developing countries not only will improve standards of health but will boost the overall global economy, a new commission set up by the World Health Organization has said.
The Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, chaired by Harvard professor Jeffrey Sachs (see interview on p 12), has put forward radical proposals for a health pact between donor countries in the West and developing countries. The commission has proposed that higher income countries should increase their existing donation of about $6bn (£4.29bn; €6.8bn) a year to reach $22bn a year by 2007 and $31bn a year by 2015.
Currently, the target for United Nations' overseas aid (which includes some donation to health but will also cover roads, education, and other projects) is 0.7% of gross domestic product, but the United Kingdom gives only 0.26% and the United States less than 0.1%
The burden of disease in some low income regions, such as the impact of AIDS in Africa, may undermine the development of such countries in the next generation, the report argued.
Life expectancy at birth in sub-Saharan Africa is only 51 years compared with 78 years in higher income countries.
“To reduce these staggeringly high mortality rates, the control of communicable diseases and improved maternal and child health remain the highest public health priorities,” said the report.
Professor Sachs argued that by increasing the standard of health it should be possible to increase the economic growth of a country, helping to break down the poverty trap.