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Health care systems in many countries unable to meet the needs of the people: WHO
The world health organisation, WHO, says health care systems in many countries have lost their focus on fair access to care and are unable to meet the needs and expectations of people especially in impoverished and marginalized groups.
The World Health Report 2008 assesses the way health care is organized financed and delivered around the world. The report says governments are spending as little as 20 us dollars per person to well over 6,000 dollars per person annually on health care. WHO says the difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest countries exceeds 40 years as a result of inequalities in the provision of health care. Of the estimated 136 million women who will give this year more than 58 million will receive no medical attention. WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan says countries must go back to basics and re-embrace the primary health care concept which puts families and communities at the hub of the health care system.
"Never before has our world possessed such a sophisticated catalogue of tools and technologies for curing disease and prolonging life. Yet each year, nearly 10 million young children and pregnant women have their lives cut short by largely preventable causes. Something is wrong, isn't it? Primary health care is a people-centred approach to health that makes prevention as important as cure. Health is the very foundation of productivity and prosperity. Cutting investments in health is not a viable option. We have made that mistake before and are still paying the price for it."
Dr Chan says too much emphasis was being placed on specialized or commercialized health care where providers have no incentive to invest in prevention. She says by focusing on primary health care the world would be able to prevent as much as 70 per cent of the global disease burden. Patrick Maigua UN Radio Geneva.
(duration: 2'11")
