Universal Healthcare in Asia May Lift Poverty, Lead to Consumerism

by Mike Smith · 2009-10-01 06:55:00 UTC
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The WHO's Regional Committee for the Western Pacific explained that the global downturn put those who live on less than $2 a day at greater risk of deep poverty due to "catastrophic health expenses." They demanded that countries prioritize "financial plans to ensure broader access to medical services," fearing delays would push more people into poverty. The regional committee called for universal access to healthcare at a manageable price, keen to not increase the 50 million people impoverished due to health services cost.

Strategies to manage this include more investment and strengthening safety-net mechanisms for the poor and vulnerable who to often lack primary care services. In January, China announced a plan to achieve universal healthcare by 2020, planning to invest $123 billion to provide "basic medical security" to all, and to make medical services more affordable. An interesting consequence of universal healthcare? An increase to general consumer spending as health costs are alleviated. Universal healthcare is not only a good investment, but one that may see a positive economic return for a country traditionally careful about curbing consumer spending.

[Photo credit: Uberzombie]

Mike Smith
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