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Rudolf van der Haar
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Ad de Rooij
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The Netherlands
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Sri Lanka better health facilities than Russia
Date: 01/09/2008The Health service in Sri Lanka is considerably better than in Russia despite considerably higher incomes in Russia than Sri Lanka, said Sir Michael Marmott, Professor Epidemiology and Public Health who chaired the World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.
While there has been an enormous increase in global wealth, technology and living standards in recent years, the key question is how it is used for fair distribution of services and institution building especially in low income countries.
Wealth alone does not determine the health of a nation's population. Some low income countries like Cuba, Costa Rica, China, State of Kerala in India, and Sri Lanka have achieved levels of good health despite relatively low national incomes. But, the Commissioner pointed out, wealth can be wisely used. Nordic countries, for example, have allowed policies that encouraged equality of benefits and services, full employment, gender equity and low levels of social exclusion. The commission has inspired and supported action in many parts of the world. Brazil, Canada, Chile, Iran, Kenya, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Sweden and the UK have become country partners on the basis of their commitment to make progress on the social determinants of health equity and are already developing policies across Governments to tackle them. These examples show that change is possible through political will. The report pointed out that gender equality is thought to be crucial.
