Infectious diseases alone account for 13 million deaths a year. There is new evidence on the cost of ill-health within poor communities. This all suggests that the economic impact of ill health has been seriously under-estimated. The burden of cancers, heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, together with high injury rates, creates new difficulties for poor countries' health systems. It can be tackled - through effective action at the national and international policy levels, and this could make a big difference to human suffering.
Evidence also suggests that good health can fuel development.
This means focusing on how best to promote better health in settings of extreme poverty. The funds needed to tackle individual diseases are being assessed and compared with the resources currently available. But for the poorest nations whichever way you look at it there is a huge financing gap. This gap can be partially filled by greater financial efforts on the part of countries themselves. But they face real constraints.