British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, launched an international initiative Wednesday to improve the quality of healthcare in some of the world’s poorest countries. The International Health partnership (IHP) aims to build strong health systems in the development world and make it easier for struggling nations to deal with international partners.
Our vision todayis that we can triumph over ancient scourges and for the first time in history conquer polio, TB, measles and then with further advances and initiatives, go on to address pneumococcal pneumonia, malaria and eventually HIV/ AIDS", Brown said.
"Today we come together- donor governments, health agencies and developing countries- with the certainty that we have the knowledge and the power to save millions through our efforts."
The IHP brings together bodies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with the governments of Britain, france, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway and Canada.
The first wave of developing countries which will hook up with the IHP is Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Cambodia and Nepal, all of which will commit to prioritizing health issues.
Officials said that over the next couple of years, the seven countries will identify particular problems in their national health systems before working with international partners to address them.
The project does not involve new funding but the British goverment says that global aid for health has doubled since 2000.