Stephen Leeder

Boosting health systems in developing economies

Health and economic development do not exist in isolation – there is a two-way causal relationship between them. If a government is too poor to invest in health care and research, the consequence is greater disease, debt and economic downturn, meaning even less money to invest in health.

Public health and its inextricable link with economics is a fundamental focus of Professor Leeder’s work. As director of the Menzies Centre for Health Policy, he leads a team that encourages informed debate about how health policy can be influenced to ensure that it is consistent with people’s values and priorities and is able to deliver safe, high quality health care that is sustainable in the long term. One of its major research projects aims to find policy and health systems solutions for people with serious and continuing illnesses.

The Menzies Centre is also the Australasian base of the Oxford Health Alliance (OxHA).

In association with the Earth Institute and Mailman School of Public Health (both at Columbia University, New York), Leeder co-authored a substantial report on the macroeconomic impact of cardiovascular disease in developing economies.

Based on research data and scientific interpretation, the report – A Race against Time: the challenge of cardiovascular disease in developing economies – drew attention to the alarming fact that one-third of cardiovascular deaths in many developing countries occur among people of working age.

This has serious financial consequences in low- and middle-income countries, where a healthy workforce is vital to support the economy.

The conclusion is clear – the time to act to minimise the impact of chronic diseases is now.