PD 16 - Smart Investment in Equitable Health Systems

The world has never possessed such a sophisticated arsenal of interventions and technologies for curing disease and prolonging life. Yet the gaps in health outcomes continue to widen. For much of the ill health, disease, premature death, and suffering we see on such a large scale effective and affordable interventions are available for prevention and treatment. The power of existing interventions is not matched by the capacity of health systems to deliver them to those in greatest need, in a comprehensive way, and on an adequate scale.

Smart investments and efficient health system development must be the center piece of health policies and financing. It is time to evaluate both the performance of health systems to serve those most in need, especially in low and middle income countries, but also explore how best to support them in the future. This panel will discuss these issues in a frank and provocative way.