Opinion pieces examine role of private sector investment in global health

Jan 29 2013

The following opinion pieces were published Saturday as the World Economic Forum, held last week in Davos, Switzerland, came to a close.

• Dagfinn Hoybraten, Huffington Post's "Impact" blog: "There's a growing and welcome awareness that the world's biggest health challenges have profound economic implications as well," Hoybraten, vice president of the Norwegian Parliament and chair of the GAVI Alliance Board, writes. "That is why many [companies] have joined the GAVI Matching Fund, where every dollar they contribute to GAVI is matched by either the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or the U.K. government," he states, noting, "These companies also are providing core business skills to help GAVI overcome roadblocks and provide visibility to the cause of immunization." He asks, "How do we immunize an additional quarter billion children by 2015, to which GAVI has committed?" concluding, "With private sector partnerships, these accomplishments and many others are within our reach" (1/26).
• Lord Boateng, Huffington Post U.K.'s "Politics" blog: "As a former treasury minister, I understand how markets can be used to benefit people around the world. This principle was one of the driving factors behind the radical overhaul of the U.K.'s approach to aid that occurred while I was in government," Boateng, a member of the House of Lords, writes. "There was a clear need to harness private sector capital and expertise to create sustainable, long-term solutions," he continues, adding, "Evidence for the success of these funding models can be seen in the outcomes delivered by GAVI programs," such as the GAVI Matching Fund, which is "used to purchase vaccines for children in the world's poorest countries." He concludes, "This week in Davos, GAVI has shown business leaders what an excellent investment immunization is for everyone" (1/26).