World Bank urges more investment in primary healthcare to boost economy

ECONOMIES in the Asia-Pacific should invest in enhancing their primary healthcare services to avert productivity losses from chronic diseases which serve as a drag on economic growth, the World Bank said.

In a report released earlier this month, the World Bank noted that East Asia and Pacific countries are facing growing cases of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), often affecting working-age individuals.

“While people are living longer and economies continue to grow, the rising prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease threatens to undermine these gains,” World Bank Vice-President for East Asia and Pacific Carlos Felipe Jaramillo said during the launch of the report on Thursday in Jakarta, Indonesia. “These conditions affect individuals in their most productive years.”

Aakash Mohpal, World Bank senior economist for health, nutrition and population, who is also one of the report’s authors, said NCDs are evolving into an economic problem and not just a health concern.

According to the World Bank, every dollar invested into the primary healthcare system translates to $16 in economic gains by improving health, productivity and jobs.

“Improved primary healthcare is critical for sustained growth in East Asia and the Pacific,” World Bank East Asia and Pacific Chief Economist Aaditya Mattoo said. “By investing in prevention, embracing innovation, and strengthening community-level health services, EAP countries create new opportunities for economic progress and improve the quality of life across the region.”

The bank also noted that other countries in the region could emulate the strategies of Indonesia and the Philippines, who outsource primary healthcare services from the private sector.

“(I)n the Philippines, we are supporting the creation of integrated primary healthcare networks, which also have upgraded and digitally enabled health facilities to build a much more resilient foundation for routine services, as well as for emergency responses,” according to Caryn Bredenkamp, practice manager for health, nutrition, and population for East Asia and Pacific at the World Bank.

Governments and the private sector should invest in early prevention and detection of NCDs, the bank said.

The World Bank also urged East Asia and Pacific nations to give primary healthcare providers the necessary infrastructure, tools, and skills to tackle NCDs, enhance care quality through monitoring and rewarding providers for strong outcomes, and ensure primary healthcare affordability, or even grant free access for low-income individuals.

“Finally, inform, nudge and incentivize people to adopt healthier lifestyles including by seeking preventive care,” it added. —  Katherine K. Chan