THE RESOURCE SHIFT
David Hunter asks ³How can we turn around the health policy tanker, so it actually leads to better health instead of pushing on in search of better ways of dealing with illness²15
Throwing more money at medical healthcare does not necessarily mean better health. 16
Wennberg JE.. (We are seeing diminishing returns on this investment).In Tanzania, with a tiny extra infusion of cash (only 80 cents per person, per year), they redirected money towards the diseases that caused the most suffering but were cheapest to treat. Infant mortality then fell by an amazing 28% in a single year.17
This shift need not jeopardise funding to current medical resources.
What would be needed would be differential growth for each sector, the minuscule funding to self-help and help for those caring for relatives or partners at home would grow by perhaps 20% pa, funding of CAM and other supportive care by 15% pa, community and environmental health care by 5% pa and current medical care by 2.5% pa,
An overall growth of spending on healthcare being around 5% pa.