Jul 23, 2008

IMF Linked to Tuberculosis


And all this time I just assumed it was linked to corruption...

Zeitgeist (sweet new blog, check it out: http://zzzeitgeist.blogspot.com): A new study links the rise in tuberculosis in Eastern Europe and Russia with IMF loans to post-Soviet countries. Though disturbing, it should not be surprising that IMF loans, which advocate government thrift (often by cutting social programs), result in a rise in disease. Government doctors lose jobs when socialized medicine is cut and disease rates go up - especially TB, which requires short term care and intensive medical supervision. But ideally, as economic growth spreads through the private sector, health care should become a social privilege available to most, if not all.

So it looks like we're just not to the ideally part yet...I'm sure we can get there with a 5 year plan to be completed in 4.

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