The Promotion of Investment Alliances by the World Bank

Abstract

This article will examine how World Bank policies that influence national healthcare systems have been facilitated through investment alliances between members of the World Bank Group, specifically the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), regional development banks and multinational and national company interests. The data used in this article was gathered from the information and publications available through the websites of the World Bank Group, regional development banks, multinational companies and private equity investors. Some of the loan documents available through the websites of the World Bank Group and regional development banks were consulted. The financial complexity of many of the investments in new healthcare systems provides a challenge for future regulatory systems in healthcare. The involvement of a range of private sector interests in healthcare also poses problems for continued development of health knowledge within publicly funded systems.