Page 168 - ES 2020-21_Volume-1-2 [28-01-21]

Healthcare takes centre stage, finally! 151

INTRODUCTION

5.1 The health of a nation depends critically on its citizens having access to an equitable,
affordable and accountable healthcare system. Health affects domestic economic growth
directly through labour productivity and the economic burden of illnesses (WHO 2004).
Increasing life expectancy from 50 to 70 years (a 40 per cent increase) could raise the
economic growth rate by 1.4 percentage points per year (WHO 2004). As Figure 1 shows, life
expectancy in a country correlates positively with per-capita public health expenditure. Figure
2 shows that maternal mortality correlates negatively with increases in per-capita public health
expenditure.

Figure 1: Life expectancy correlates positively with per-capita
governmentspending on health (centre and state combined)

Source: World Bank and WHO (Global Health Expenditure Data Base)

Figure 2: Maternal mortality correlates negatively with per-capita
government spending on health (centre and state combined)

Source: World Bank and WHO (Global Health Expenditure Data Base)