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One Health and Sustainable Development: A Roadmap for Development Finance

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportune moment to revisit the mutual relationship between health and development. The Development Financing Institutes (DFI) at the behest of Multilateral and Bilateral actors have been investing in health systems to organize health care services and contribute to the goals of economic development. The article theoretically defines this model of development financing in health, and questions the utility of health systems which is indifferent to the wider determinants of health active in the spheres of ecology, environment and society. The pandemic prevention, preparedness and response will require both reassessment of development finance and restructuring of health systems to address the wider determinants of health. The article argues that health systems resilience needs to take one health approach in account in order to redesign health systems in the post-pandemic world. The development finance must rally support behind the one health approach to promote sustainable development, environmental protection, and ensure public health safety and security.

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Notes

  1. As per the information available on the Word Bank online database (as of 22 October 2023) for lending https://datatopics.worldbank.org/health/lending, accessed 22 October 2023.

  2. For example, the World Bank has sanctioned in 2021 USD one billion financial assistance package for ‘India’s COVID-19 Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project’ to enhance public health prevention and patient care management operations. Overall, the World Bank has pledged for USD 160 billion in grants and financial support to aid recipient countries for enhancing the resilience of health systems. (https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/16/how-the-world-bank-is-mitigating-the-impacts-of-covid-19-in-the-health-sector, accessed 22 October 2023).

  3. In this regard, already some discussions have started at the global level. The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) is now in place, an independent body co-convened by the World Bank and World Health Organization, to monitor future public health risks and assess the preparedness. (https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/pandemics). The ‘pandemic treaty’ is also in the offing as initiated by the European Union and other Members States of the World Health Organization.

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Author notes

  1. Amitabha Sarkar

    Present address: Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

    Meri Koivusalo

  2. The Geneva Graduate Institute, Global Health Centre, Geneva, Switzerland

    Amitabha Sarkar

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Sarkar, A., Koivusalo, M. One Health and Sustainable Development: A Roadmap for Development Finance. Development 66, 165–169 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41301-023-00392-1

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