Health Equity: 02/06/12

Monday, February 6, 2012

[EQ] The Case for Europe as a Leader in Research and Innovation for Global Health

The Case for Europe as a Leader in Research and Innovation for Global Health

S. Battams, Global Health Programme, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. Email: samantha.battams@graduateinstitute.ch

S.A. Matlin, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College, London

A. Jahn, Institute of Public Health, Heidelberg University
I. Kickbusch, Director, Global Health Programme, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva

Global Health Europe, Geneva, November 2011.

Available online at: http://bit.ly/xzEiTN

“…..This paper explores the potential and makes recommendations for Europe’s role in research and innovation to improve global health. It highlights the need for coherence between Horizon 2020 and other key EU policies, including that on the EU’s role in global health, and the potential for global health research to play an instrumental role in achieving Europe 2020 goals of growth, innovation and social inclusion.

• The EU should ensure coherence between its agendas for development, research and health and a well coordinated approach to the execution of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property. This should include coherent application of European policies, programmes and science diplomacy efforts in addressing the recommendations of the WHO Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development (CEWG), including the question of a Research and Development Convention.

• Recommendations for research mechanisms and strategies to develop Europe’s role in and to advance global health research and innovation include;

- Special mechanisms to promote and support research that is cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary, involving both technological and social innovation;

- Special mechanisms to ensure continued fair, equitable and needs-oriented collaboration with LMICs, including joint priority and agenda setting, management, exploitation of results.

- Research that acknowledges the ‘right to health’ and European values in health such as equity, universality and access;

- Innovation stimuli which take into account the special characteristics of health technologies and products, such as long lead times, high intensity of investments, high attrition rates, and the lack market incentives for investing in medicines for poor populations.

- Previous experience has shown the gains to be achieved from global, collaborative health research and that some innovations can only occur on a regional/international level;

- The large and complex character of many global health challenges makes them particularly suited to a ‘grand challenges’ approach to developing global health, which involves cross-sectoral research conducted by multinational consortia within and beyond the EU. ….”

Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

* * *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues. [DD/ KMC Area]
Washington DC USA

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.

Thank you.

[EQ] The Cost of Universal Health Care in India: A Model Based Estimate

The Cost of Universal Health Care in India: A Model Based Estimate

Shankar Prinja1, Pankaj Bahuguna1, Andrew D. Pinto2,3, Atul Sharma1, Gursimer Bharaj1, Vishal Kumar1,

Jaya Prasad Tripathy1, Manmeet Kaur1, Rajesh Kumar1*

1 School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, 2 Department of Family and Community Medicine, St. Michael’s

Hospital, Toronto, Canada, 3 Centre for Research on Inner City Health, Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada

PLoS ONE 7(1) January 27, 2012
Editor: Pieter H. M. van Baal, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

Available online at: http://bit.ly/w2PvH6

“…….As high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses pose heavy financial burden on the families, Government of India is considering a variety of financing and delivery options to universalize health care services. Hence, an estimate of the cost of delivering universal health care services is needed.

Methods:
We developed a model to estimate recurrent and annual costs for providing health services through a mix of public and private providers in Chandigarh located in northern India. Necessary health services required to deliver good quality care were defined by the Indian Public Health Standards. National Sample Survey data was utilized to estimate disease burden. In addition, morbidity and treatment data was collected from two secondary and two tertiary care hospitals.

The unit cost of treatment was estimated from the published literature. For diseases where data on treatment cost was not available, we collected data on standard treatment protocols and cost of care from local health providers.

Results:
We estimate that the cost of universal health care delivery through the existing mix of public and private health institutions would be INR 1713 (USD 38, 95%CI USD 18–73) per person per annum in India. This cost would be 24% higher, if branded drugs are used. Extrapolation of these costs to entire country indicates that Indian government needs to spend 3.8% (2.1%–6.8%) of the GDP for universalizing health care services.

Conclusion:
The cost of universal health care delivered through a combination of public and private providers is estimated to be INR 1713 per capita per year in India. Important issues such as delivery strategy for ensuring quality, reducing inequities in access, and managing the growth of health care demand need be explored……….”

Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

Thank you.

[EQ] Greening Development - Enhancing Capacity for Environmental Management and Governance

Greening Development
Enhancing Capacity for Environmental Management and Governance

OECD -25 Jan 2012

Available online at : http://bit.ly/Aisz3n

This policy guidance outlines a number of steps to be considered when building capacity for greening national development planning, national budgetary processes and key economic sector strategies.

It identifies the key actors to be engaged in the decision making processes, outlines possible capacity needs and suggests how these can be addressed. This policy guidance is intended to support developing countries in their efforts to move to a greener development path. It is also intended to assist development co-operation and environment agencies in their efforts to support that process.

Sound environmental management is fundamental for green growth, sustainable development and poverty reduction.
Executive Summary

A healthy natural environment and the services it provides are fundamental to economic growth and human well-being. This is especially so in developing countries, where natural capital accounts for 26% of total wealth, compared to 2% in industrialised countries. Economic growth based on the unsustainable use of natural resources is no longer viable in a world facing the pressures of a growing population, climate change and increasing risks of food shortages.

Introduction

Environmental resources and services are vital contributors to economic growth and people’s well-being. This is particularly the case in developing countries, where natural resources sectors (agriculture, mining, forestry, fisheries and nature-based tourism) often are the engines of economic growth. It is estimated that natural capital accounts for 26% of total wealth in low-income countries, compared to only 2% in industrialised countries (OECD, 2008a).
The condition of soil, water, forests and fisheries therefore has a direct impact on commercial and subsistence activities, as well as on livelihoods. The natural resource base is also an important source of employment and income for the poor, and provides a valuable safety net, providing supplementary income and food in times of crisis.

Greening development

This chapter explores new approaches in development co-operation and environmental management. It outlines what the aid effectiveness agenda to which most development support providers are committed means for capacity building and greening development. It proposes a five-step framework to assess and respond to the capacity needs for greening national development planning, national budgetary processes and key economic sectors at three levels:
i) individual,
ii) organisational and
iii) enabling environment.

Greening national development planning processes

National development planning processes must consider the environment if sustainable development is to be ensured. But the capacity for greening these processes is often lacking in developing countries. This chapter outlines the legal and political context and the key actors involved in national planning processes. It then draws on the five-step framework to provide guidance on building the capacity for greening these planning processes. Case studies illustrate how capacity development has allowed environmental issues to be incorporated into national planning processes in a variety of developing countries.

Greening national budget processes

This chapter outlines the linkages between the national budget process and a country’s environmental performance and identifies capacity needs for greening national budgets. Among these are good fiscal knowledge, appropriate engagement of key actors, training and human resource development, targeting weaknesses and exploiting synergies and cross-sectoral links. Based on the framework introduced in Chapter 1, this chapter provides guidance on how to develop the required capacities, using case studies to illustrate how capacity development can be supported in various country contexts.

Greening key economic sectors

This chapter examines how the planning process works within sectors – a key entry point for environmental integration. The linkages between key economic sectors and environmental outcomes are examined, as well as capacity needs related to sectoral planning. Recommendations on how to address identified capacity needs are based on the framework proposed in Chapter 1. Case studies illustrate how capacity development for the environment has been implemented in practice.

Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

Thank you.