WHO releases 'investment case' for boosting economic growth and saving 30m lives over five years

The Word health Organization (WHO) has asked donor countries for $14 billion to fund its next five-year strategic plan which it said will 30 million lives by 2023. 

For the first time the pitch for the new funding has been presented as an "investment case" with accountants calculating the money will add 2-4 percent economic growth to low and middle income countries over the period.

By improving health outcomes, the report argues, donor countries will be making a major investment in the 'human capital' of developing nations. That, in turn, will benefit donor countries as trade grows.

As well as improved GPD, the money - equivalent in total to about a 12th of the annual budget of the NHS - will add an estimated 100 million years of healthy living to the world’s population.

Jane Ellison, assistant director general of the WHO, told The Telegraph that she was "optimistic" about reaching the $14.1 billion goal. 

"I am optimistic about raising the money. We're essentially saying that we want to be accountable and transparent. That should give donors old and new the confidence to invest - it's the right time to set out our ambitions."

The organisation's budget includes a $10 billion base budget, representing a 14 per cent increase on current levels. They have also set out plans to spend $2.5 billion on humanitarian and emergencies and $1.6 towards polio eradication. 

“This is the first time we have estimated the results we could achieve and the impact we could deliver with the right resources,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general.

“Our investment case isn’t only about investing in an institution, it’s about investing in people, and in the healthier, safer, fairer world we all want.”

The investment case comes three months after the WHO released its strategy for the next five years. 

The organisation is working towards “triple billion” targets - one billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage, one billion better protected from health emergencies, and one billion enjoying better health and well being. 

"This is part of laying out a roadmap to invest in the key blocks of a good health system", said Ms Ellison. "That's good both on a human level and for the world."

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