Health Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries ─ An Economic and Policy Perspective

Health Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Economic and Policy Perspective outlines the key aspects and issues concerning health systems of low- and middle-income countries, recognising the current global context within which these systems operate and the dynamics of this context. It brings together a set of renowned authors to tackle the issues that face population health and health care in the twenty-first century.

The focus is predominantly low- and middle-income countries, with a distinct meeting of economic and policy perspectives, and grounding analysis of key issues within the broader international context. The book therefore provides a unique and comprehensive analysis of health systems, with a very different and unique 'flavour' in the field. It should have wide appeal to those engaged in health and health care, including health professionals, researchers and students, as well as those outside traditional health professions but with increasing interest within health issues, such as trade policy makers, researchers and students.

Richard Smith has been a Health Economist for some 20 years, following undergraduate and postgraduate studies in economics at the University of York. Upon leaving York in 1991, he worked in Sydney, Cambridge, Bristol, Melbourne and Norwich, before joining the School in May 2007. He is also an Honorary Professor of Health Economics at the Universities of Hong Kong and East Anglia, and is an Associate Fellow at The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House.
Richard has worked in a number of areas of health economics, most recently upon developing the application of macro-economics to health, the economics of globalization and health, and aspects of trade in health goods, services, people and ideas. His current interests are broadly in the interaction and interface between a nation's health system and other systems - both within the nation (e.g. tourism, travel and leisure sectors) and between different countries (e.g. through movement of health professionals).

Kara Hanson received degrees from McGill University, the University of Cambridge and Harvard University, and has worked at the London School of Hygiene since 1997. She has over 20 years' experience in the field of health economics, combining research and policy advice at the country and international levels.
Kara's research has focused mainly on the economics of financing and organising health services in low- and middle-income countries. She has particular interests in the private sector and the role it can play in expanding coverage of essential health interventions, especially in the supply of malaria treatment and prevention. She has also made contributions in the areas of human resources, health financing, and the economics of hospitals. She is co-Research Director of a health systems research consortium funded by the UK Department for International Development, and leads a number of multi-country research programmes in the economics of malaria.