> Hello Alex
> Just out of interest, is there anything in this
statement about financial and/or opportunity
costs, responsibility to pay etc.? >
I take it this is a rhetorical question Adam,
since you've presumably read the Declaration and
since you've copied your letter to the list (does
this mildly disingenuous behaviour constitute what
you recently described as a 'rant'?) However, I've
decided to indulge you by pasting the money bits
below
Invest in a nice day, Alex
Ø Equity in health outcomes must be a central
health goal of health care professionals, citizens
and their governments. Economic efficiency in
health systems should serve this goal and never be
placed above it.
Ø Inequities in access and outcomes are not
restricted to any one health care or economic
system. Inequities in health are experienced in
most countries regardless of their level of
development. In virtually every country, people
living in poverty and indigenous people have worse
health outcomes.
Ø The expansion of the private sector in the
course of globalization of trade and finance has
been associated with growing inequalities in
health outcomes between and within countries. The
potential of globalization to advance health
outcomes for all through the equitable
distribution of new technologies in treatments,
communications and information sharing must be
realised. The potential of globalization to
increase wealth should be accompanied by stronger
international and national regulatory structures
for effective wealth re-distribution and ecosystem
sustainability.
Ø Challenges to the underlying political, economic
and social reasons for growing health inequalities
and inequities are needed urgently. All health
professionals must affirm their commitments to
engage in such challenges. Programs to improve
population health must promote an effective health
dimension to social, economic and environmental
policy.
Ø Increased resources and investment in public
health systems and health-promoting economic and
environmental conditions are urgently required in
developing and least developed countries.
Improvements in health outcomes that are both
equitable and sustainable require well-developed
and maintained public infrastructures.
Ø Investing in primary health care and public
health must be the priority in health system
reform in developed countries, and health system
development in poorer nations. The global
momentum towards increased privatisation of public
health care, and investment on technologically
expensive interventions that reach only a minority
of the worlds' citizens, must be reversed.
Ø The World Health Organization to become more
active in international governance and trade
negotiations. In particular, the WHO, and its
member countries, must ensure that the right to
health takes precedence over trade obligations.
Ø Governments in all countries to become more
transparent in their trade relations. Economic
criteria associated with increased trade
liberalization must be held accountable for how it
improves equity in health and human development,
and sustainability of the environment. Ø
Governments in all countries to adopt transparent
and participatory systems of government,
governance, and economy. The health of people
must become one of the key goals by which
governance decisions are made.
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