With the long and arduous journey that lead to the passing of U.S. Healthcare Reform, known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and still less than a year old, the idea of establishing a more globalized healthcare system may seem like a mountain that is too high for us to climb. However, a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) outlines some very simple and realistic policies that could provide healthcare coverage to a large proportion of people living in low-income nations who currently have little to no access to healthcare. What is really interesting is how similar these policies are to those of the ACA.
One of the WHO recommendations that parallels policies in the ACA is avoiding wasteful spending in the healthcare system. Initiatives put into place to improve hospital efficiency, utilize new healthcare technologies, and eliminate waste and corruption could improve any country’s healthcare system, regardless of economic status. So if these WHO strategies might have the same benefit as the ACA is projected to have on the U.S. healthcare system, what is stopping the developing nations from putting these plans into action?
One major obstacle in implementing these strategies is the lack of resources in low-income nations. The WHO report estimates that, on average, low-income nations would need to nearly double their per capita spending on healthcare to ensure adequate access to medical treatment for the majority of their citizens. Many groups are working with underdeveloped nations to provide financial support and resources that would help close the gap on healthcare spending. Organizations like the Gates Foundation are funding initiatives aiming to provide medical assistance to those in need. In addition, both the International Healthcare Volunteers and Doctors Without Borders help to provide relief to nations in desperate need of medical care.
Given the various new healthcare policies and support from the global community, low-income nations now have a better chance of developing a national, self-sustaining healthcare system.
To learn more about the global healthcare initiative and to find out how you can get involved, visit the websites for the Gates Foundation, Doctors without Borders, or the International Healthcare Volunteers.