ABSTRACT

Over the past 15 years the pivotal role played by good health in the development process has been acknowledged. The shift to the human development paradigm which followed the publication of the first Human Development Report in 1990, has been enshrined in the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), agreed by 189 countries in September 2000. Of the eight MDGs, three directly address health challenges: reducing child mortality (Goal 4); improving maternal health (Goal 5); and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (Goal 6). The other five MDGs all indirectly impact on health: eradicating extreme poverty and

hunger (Goal 1); achieving universal primary education (Goal 2); promoting gender equality and empowering women (Goal 3); ensuring environmental sustainability (Goal 7); and developing a global partnership for development (Goal 8).