The Alma Ata Declaration and the 10/90 Paradox in Global Health Resources Utilization
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Inegbenebor Ute, Department of Health Education, Texila American University, Georgetown, Guyana; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
The existing gross inequality in the health status of the people particularly between developed and developing countries as well as within countries is politically, socially and economically unacceptable and is therefore of common concern to all. This was part of the Alma Ata Declaration in 1978. Against the background that only 10% of the global resources is used for research on the health problems of 90% of the world people, notably those who live in the developing countries, how well has this declaration been implemented after thirty-five years? Do the member countries of the United Nations have the political will to implement this declaration? This article highlights the gross inequalities in the global health status, allocation of resources, access and utilization of health facilities and discusses the mutual benefit that can be realized by donor industrialized and recipient developed countries in the event of adjusting the 90/10 disequilibrium.
Alma Ata Declaration, Global Health, Resource Utilization, Paradox
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