Health-related development aid: What comes after it?

摘要

The famous physician and theologian Dr. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) has been the hero and model for generations of medical missionaries and development workers. This talented man dedicated his entire life to the health of the people of Lambarene and its catchment area. He had a natural gift for leadership and a tremendous capacity for financial management. Health economics and scientific management were almost irrelevant during his time and for a lot of his successors. However, the world has changed and health care in resource-poor countries has become highly complex so that health economics in developing countries builds the foundation of effective and efficient humanitarian and development aid. Consequently, donor agencies have employed health economists and health care managers in order to determine the most efficient allocation of scarce development resources.