Macroeconomics and Health (CMH)

Tough Choices: Investing in Health for Development

Experiences from national follow-up to the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health

A number of countries chose to follow up on the findings of the 2001 report of the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH). Tough Choices: Investing in Health for Development is a synthesis of country experiences over three years of this work.

The report was released and its findings discussed during a seminar at WHO Headquarters on 15 March 2006. In addition, four WHO regions have organized meetings to present the results to date of national CMH follow-up work and to recommend strategic actions for the future.

This report presents the main challenges that countries have faced with respect to improving health investment planning. A close look is given to the experiences and work of 11 countries and one sub-regional initiative (Cambodia, Caribbean Community, China, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Yemen). Finally, the report presents policy implications along which the efforts of national policy-makers and planners, as well as development partners, can be focused.

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