Hyderabad, May 4, 2006 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Asia Development Bank's (ASX: ATB) Annual Meeting program opened yesterday with a special discussion panel at the NGO and Civil Society Center on Health Investment for Economic Growth.
The panel meeting, adopting a thematic format for the traditional annual Civil Society Open Forum, explored whether investment in the health sector makes sense from a broader macroeconomic perspective, given that health status appears to serve as a key determinant of income.
Leading the discussion were two prominent health economists and two representatives of international nongovernment organizations:
- David Bloom, Professor of Economics and Demography at Harvard School of Public Health, who has written extensively on the economic returns of immunization, including through studies in the Philippines.
- Dra. Indrani Gupta, Health Economist and Associate Professor at the Health Policy Research Unit of the Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, India. Aside from analyzing the links between economic growth, poverty, and health (including in India), Dra. Gupta also researches in the areas of health insurance, health financing and demand for health care.
- Senator Mechai Virayaidya, Chairman, Population and Community Development Association (Bangkok), Mr. Mechai is well known around the region and world for his contribution to family planning and reproductive health services.
- Khondker Rebaka Sun-Yat, Project Manager, Urban Primary Health Care Project, Bangladesh Women's Health Coalition. Through the support of ADB funding, Ms. Sun-Yat has created innovative partnerships to improve the health of the urban poor and improve their prospects to secure decent work.
Moderator was John Hetherington, of the Regional Office of Population Services International.
The panelists presented their findings in this field, including any lessons from India. They also explored why reinforcing the link between health investment and economic growth is critical to garnering the political will, resources, and necessary partnerships in support of the health-related Millennium Development Goals and other global health priorities.
Contact
Graham Dwyer
Email: gdwyer@adb.org
Tel:+632 632 5253;
+632 898 3413;
+63 915 741 4363
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