Amartya Sen
1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences
A universalistic healthcare system is often considered as an ideal goal, a utopian and basically impossible dream. But the experiences of some countries, such as Rwanda, Thailand and Bangladesh, suggest a possible prospect and a less fatalistic outlook. Instead of heading towards an indiscriminate privatization of basic health services, the latter, at least in their early stage, could be taken in charge by the state, thus opening the way to processes leading to better developed and more complete systems, therefore fostering economic growth as well.