The World Bank says poor child and maternal health is hampering Papua New Guinea's long term economic prospects.
It has shown that health and nutrition interventions - particularly early in life - improve long-term welfare, productivity and earnings, and can reduce future public health costs and inequality.
The Bank, in a report released last week in Port Moresby, says PNG spends more on public health relative to similar countries, yet the outcomes are worse.
It says this shows the government has to improve the efficiency of the spending.
Don Wiseman spoke with the World Bank's programme leader for human development, Aparnaa Samanthan, who began by focussing on the Bank's role in health issues.
Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZI
