Health policy
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New actors on the international health scene have emerged, challenging WHO's leadership in global health. The role and functions of WHO have been questioned. Changes in financing have eroded the influence of the governing bodies. ⋯ A slow reform process is also taking place within WHO. The main conclusions from these studies are analyzed and the areas with the greatest need for reform are studied. This paper presents proposals for the far-reaching reforms needed for WHO to recapture its leadership role in international health.
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This article describes parallel developments of the Hong Kong economy and its health care system. The purpose is to illustrate how the Hong Kong health system evolved in response to external and internal pressures generated by economic prosperity. The Hong Kong system illustrates the importance of clear policy making in the face of these pressures. ⋯ At present, Hong Kong policy-makers are faced with the challenge of maintaining a sharp focus on cost control as they face pressure to expand and improve health care coverage for the citizens. So far they have responded by emphasizing management efficiency through reorganization. It remains to be seen whether this strategy can be successful without passing increased health care costs to the consumers.