Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 11/2009

Your Money or your Life? Will leaders act now to save lives and make health care free in poor countries?

September 2009

Oxfam Publishing

Abstract

User fees for health care are a life or death issue for millions of people in poor countries. Too poor to pay, women and children are paying with their lives. For those who do pay, over 100 million are pushed into poverty each year. This month will witness a global opportunity for world leaders to really make a difference to poor people by backing the expansion of free health care in a number of countries. The opportunity marks a true test of leaders' commitment to save lives and accelerate progress towards health care for all in our lifetime. The question is, will they pass it?