More evidence of World Bank Group's dangerous drive in for-profit healthcare

In response to new revelations today from Bloomberg about harmful private hospital investments backed by development banks, Oxfam International’s Health Policy Manager Anna Marriott said: 

“Bloomberg’s investigation provides more deeply disturbing new evidence that the World Bank Group, and other publicly funded development banks, are driving a dangerous, extractive for-profit healthcare model that is harming patients, health workers, and health systems across low- and middle-income countries. 

“It is especially alarming that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other development finance institutions have been made aware of serious violations —including medical malpractice, patient rights abuses, and mismanagement — and yet have failed to appropriately investigate. Their response to mounting evidence has been frankly cavalier and insulting to those harmed.

“It is time for the board members of the World Bank and other development banks, including that of the UK, to urgently halt all new direct or indirect investments in for-profit healthcare and launch a full, independent investigation into these cases. Public funds must not be used to fuel private profits at the expense of people’s health, safety and dignity."