Human Development in Iraq

5Housing, basic services,nutrition, and health

As with education, there is both instrumental and intrinsic importance to human development outcomes associated with the provision of housing, basic services, nutrition, and health. Not only is the ability to live a long, healthy, well-nourished life desirable in its own terms, but there are positive externalities linked to adequate health and nutrition that extend to other dimensions of development: improvement of one's aptitude for learning and work, and an increase in the productivity of labor and hence income.¹

In general, the provision of health in developing countries, like that for education, tends to be top heavy, and this promotes both inefficiency and inequality in the supply of services. ...