Who Will Pay for Asia's Double Burden? Innovative Financing is Needed to Address an Unprecedented Burden of Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases

Abstract

The 11th edition of Development Asia looks into the double burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases in Asia and the Pacific.

Asian and Pacific countries are facing unprecedented challenges related to health care. While wealthier countries tend to suffer from noncommunicable ailments, such as cancer and diabetes, and poorer countries from communicable diseases, like malaria and dengue, many parts of Asia and the Pacific are plagued by both. This edition of Development Asia explores the double burden of disease that political leaders in the region are grappling to address. At the root of this problem is health financing. Simply put: how do governments and their private sector partners provide solutions that keep the poor from suffering catastrophic health care costs?