39427

FOREWORD



The World Bank shares the desire of its member states and client countries to ensure that the poor
partake fully in the health gains that the countries achieve. To assist in this, the Bank, in
cooperation with the Dutch and Swedish Governments, has sponsored the set of reports providing
basic information about health inequalities within countries to which this document belongs.

The information shows clearly that disparities in both health conditions and health service use are
unacceptably large. As countries and the Bank work to reduce important inequalities among
regions and countries, there is a clear need for equally vigorous efforts to lessen the inequity
represented by intra-country differences among socio-economic groups.

My colleagues and I hope that all concerned with equity in health will find this information useful
in making the case for effective actions to improve the health of the poor, and in designing
programs to achieve this crucial objective.




                                          Joy Phumaphi
                                          Vice President
                                 Human Development Network
                                         The World Bank




                                               - I -