Asian Development Bank

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Health and Population

(See Social Infrastructure.)

Health Sector Policy

ADB’s updated health sector policy, adopted in February 1999, reemphasizes primary health care, including reproductive health, family planning, and selected nutrition interventions, as the best strategy to provide universal access to essential health services. ADB’s overall objective in the health sector is to assist governments of developing member countries in ensuring that their citizens have broad access to basic preventive, promotive, and curative services. ADB focuses on

• improving the health status of the poor, women, infants, children, and indigenous peoples;

• promoting health sector reforms;

• enhancing the efficiency of health subsector investments through institutional strengthening and capacity building;

• achieving tangible, measurable results; and

• testing innovative approaches and supporting effective and affordable new technologies.

(See also Health and Population)

Go to Hong Kong, China

HKG

Hong Kong, China

Go to Supporting Human Development

Human Development

Human development—investment in people—is one of ADB’s thematic priorities. Investments in human development are a vital part of any development strategy. The term human development means an increase in the value of human capital and quality of life, pursued by investing in education, health, population planning, water supply and sanitation, housing, and other basic human needs.

A healthy, educated, and skilled labor force is necessary for economic growth to occur. A healthy, educated population can adapt readily to change and take initiative in an uncertain world. Investments in human development also promote poverty reduction by improving the productivity and earnings of the poor and opening up greater employment opportunities. Investments in education and health also tend to promote the role of women in the economy. There are strong interlinkages among such investments. For example, investments in the health of children increase the returns to education investments because healthy and well-nourished children perform better in school. Better-educated citizens are more capable of participating in the institutions of civil society. Investments in other vital areas, such as water supply and sanitation, and urban development and housing, also contribute to human development by improving living standards and the quality of life of present and future generations of people, and help increase their contribution toward sustained and accelerated economic growth.

Countries that neglect investments in human development are unable to achieve sustainable economic growth. They also find it difficult to make progress in reducing poverty and improving the status of women. Without a reasonably educated labor force, countries are unable to assimilate new knowledge and technology and compete in the global economic environment.

(See also Country Operational Strategy Study; Priorities; Health and Population; and Thematic Priorities)