Healthcare In A Box: GE Developing Health Globally Program Helps Solve Healthcare Dilemmas in Emerging Economy Countries
The state of global health today is a study in contrasts. Developed countries are enjoying a wave of progress in science and medicine that includes such marvels as personalized genomic therapies, minimally invasive robotic surgery and targeted nanoparticles that improve drug delivery. But in the developing world there remains an acute crisis of disease and poverty, with enormous gaps in maternal and infant care in particular. Nearly 9 million children aged five and younger die each year, almost three-quarters of them from pneumonia, diarrhea, malnutrition and other preventable causes. And about 1,000 women, predominantly in poor rural communities, die each day from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, according to the World Health Organization.
The root causes of this disparity range from government corruption to a lack of access to clean water and electricity to shortages of medical equipment and clinical acumen. Addressing these myriad issues is daunting. Yet, since 2004, Developing Health Globally™, an initiative from GE , has been combining product resources, engineering expertise and best practices drawn from business to create holistic “enterprise solutions” for health facilities in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Through DHG, GE has invested $40 million in more than 100 hospitals and clinics in 13 countries, an effort that has affected an estimated 4.8 million lives. In the process, the company has also created a model for addressing the global health crisis — a model that’s driven by innovations in planning, implementation and sustainability.
To continue reading about the Developing Health Globally initiative, click here.
About GEGE (NYSE: GE) is an advanced technology, services and finance company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. Dedicated to innovation in energy, health, transportation and infrastructure, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.
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