Infectious disease clinics of North America
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Infect. Dis. Clin. North Am. · Jun 1991
ReviewPublic and private donor financing for health in developing countries.
Among the many variables that influence the outcome of national health status in both developed and developing countries, the availability and efficiency of financing is critical. For 148 developing countries, annual public and private expenditures from domestic sources (1983) were estimated to be approximately $100 billion. For the United States alone, annual public and private costs for medical care are almost five times larger ($478 billion, 1988). ⋯ In perspective, the supply of financing for health greatly exceeds the receipt of well-articulated and officially approved proposals from developing countries. The major constraints that produce this imbalance are unfamiliarity of ministries of health with potential donor sources; passive approaches to external financing; unfamiliarity with proposal preparation; increasing competition within developing countries by competing sectors, such as industry and agriculture; limited numbers of trained personnel; and absence of an international system which is able to support developing countries in mobilizing external financing. Tested solutions to these issues have been applied in one geographic region.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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The foregoing delineation on the rationale, structure, and process for development of a program or institute in international health is not meant to be prescriptive. Flexibility, relevance, and sensitivity to the local context-the academic health center setting--are crucial, just as these characteristics are the hallmark of successful international projects. ⋯ Fortunately, there is an enlightened climate for the development of innovative and collaborative approaches to meet these challenges within a framework of social justice and overall human development. It is the unique and unparalleled opportunity for US academic health centers to work with international colleagues toward this goal.