Special Report: Health for All - from Alma Ata to Almaty

Abstract

The global health policy landscape has changed considerably over the past decade. There is more money available to allocate to health initiatives than ever before, a large percentage of which has come from private funds and public private partnerships (PPPs). Some experts have welcomed these changes, while others have had considerable reservations. Despite positive developments, such as increased access to antiretroviral therapy for patients with HIV/AIDS, the health situation in poor countries and for the poor communities of rich countries remains abominable. It is often in the world’s poorest countries that the highest percentage of health costs is met with private, out-of-pocket spending. This creates poverty traps that can be impossible for people to escape