Lancet
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WHO's activities at country level have earned the organisation both criticism and praise. The organisation's technical publications are esteemed as authoritative guidelines for disease control. Successful disease-control programmes and contributions to health research have heightened WHO's reputation. ⋯ But WHO has been criticised for not adapting rapidly and logically to changes in the health field. With increasing national capacity in the more advanced developing countries, and with the involvement of new participants in the health sphere, the organisation needs to reassess its role at country level. My recommendation is that WHO improves its analytical capacity so that its programmes take into consideration the health needs of the country, its national capacity, and the contributions from other external agencies.
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The final quarter of the 20th century saw a profound change in international health cooperation. The World Bank emerged and consolidated its position as the leading external financier of health-sector activities in countries of low and middle income. ⋯ The scope of the Bank's involvement, and the nature of its policy thrusts and investment strategy in the sector, are outlined in this paper and illustrated with specific reference to Bangladesh. This backdrop serves to raise four issues and enables us to explore their relevance to global health cooperation in the first quarter of the 21st century.