Development and Health in Southeast Asia from the Cold War to the Present

This NTS Alert is the second of two that seek to examine the relationship between development and health. In this issue, the links between international development – in particular, the provision of aid by developed nations – and health are explored by observing trends in Western aid to Southeast Asia from the Cold War era to the present, and the ramifications of changes in why and how such aid is given. This NTS Alert will argue that these patterns invariably reflect the pursuit (and waning) of particular Western interests in each period, rather than an active interest in the health of populations in developing regions, and that this has resulted in considerable health gains, but also particular problems, such as the specific health needs of populations not being addressed in a comprehensive manner.