Health & Poverty Reduction Report

John Bowis's Report into 'Health and Poverty Reduction in Developing Countries' has received its parliamentary approval at the Plenary Session of Parliament on Thursday 4th September 2003.

The report responds to a European Commission Communication which sets out the EC's framework policy for development assistance in the field of health.

John's report highlights the centrality of improving health to reducing poverty, it welcomes the approach of the Commission but, whilst noting the crucial importance of tackling the three big killers: HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, flags up a range of diseases and disorders that must not be neglected. Tackling diseases and mental illnesses which debilitate and disable is critical to poverty reduction:

The report comments on the approaches to development, through aid assistance from developed countries and capacity building within countries and it looks at the role of different players from local NGOs to pharmaceutical companies.