This brief is for policy-makers in any ministry involved in designing assistive technology policies and programmes (such as ministries of health, finance and social welfare), especially those involved in designing universal health coverage programmes. It is also relevant for all stakeholders working in these areas. The brief highlights key challenges in ensuring equitable access to high-quality, affordable assistive technology and suggests actions to improve access within universal health coverage or any other national health/welfare programme.
This is the final report of the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (2005-2008). The report gives three main recommendations: 1 improve daily living conditions 2. Tackle the inequitable distribution of power, money, and resources 3. Measure and understand the problem and assess the impact of action. The Commission was created to provide evidence on policies that improve health by addressing the social conditions in which people live and work. The report is addressed to WHO, national governments, civil society, and other global organizations
This resource contains both the Kampala declaration and an agenda for global action to "guide the initial steps in a coordinated global, regional and national response to the worldwide shortage and mal-distribution of health workers, moving towards universal access to quality health care and improved health outcomes. It is meant to unite and intensify the political will and commitments necessary for significant and effective actions to resolve this crisis, and to align efforts of all stakeholders at all levels around solutions"
This report raises awareness of the global burden of mental and neurological disorders, and its cost in human, social and economic terms. It also aims to dismantle the barriers which prevent millions of sufferers of mental and neurological disorders from receiving the treatment they need and deserve. The report describes how mental health problems can be solved (eg. by drug therapy, psycho-social rehabilitation and psychotherapy, vocational rehabilitation, housing), and gives examples of the effectiveness of these treatments for a wide range of mental disorders
This report assesses the place of health in global economic development. Health is understood to be a central goal and an important outcome of development. It is also important to invest in health to promote economic development and poverty reduction. The report suggests a new strategy for investing in health for economic development in the world's poorests countries, based upon a new global partnership of developed and developing countries. Two important initiatives are required: a significant scaling up of resources spent in the health sector by poor countries and donors, and tackling non-financial obstacles, which limit capacity in poor countries to deliver health services
This strategy provides a framework of interventions to stimulate the prevention of infection, to slow the emergence of resistance and to reduce the spread of resistant microorganisms, in order to reduce the impact of resistance on health and health care costs, while improving access to existing agents and encouraging the development of new agents
