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Coronavirus Impact Dashboard: The Effects of Social Distancing Measures
Coronavirus Impact Dashboard: The Effects of Social Distancing Measures

 

What happens when low-income people's disposable income increases?
What happens when low-income people's disposable income increases?

The base of the pyramid as we knew it ten years ago has changed tremendously. Latin America and the Caribbean’s economic growth between 2000 and 2010 benefited many in the region, from top to bottom. Millions of people emerged from poverty, and the segment of those living on $4-10 a day grew considerably. More than 400 million people in Latin America live at the base of the pyramid (BOP) today. They represent a $760 billion market annually. The Inter-American Development Bank's BASE III Forum will be this year's opportunity to discuss how to tap into this unexplored market and have an impact on low-income people's lives. It will take place in Mexico City on June 29-July 1.

Can innovations in healthcare technology leapfrog to better solutions?
Can innovations in healthcare technology leapfrog to better solutions?

In our experience at the IDB, healthcare systems in many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) suffer from severe resource constraints.  Competing health priorities, budget restrictions, staff shortages and general technological deficiencies leave large segments of the population without basic treatment.

Why invest in health?
Why invest in health?

On September 18, 2013, I co-led along with Geetha Tharmaratnam (The Abraaj Group) a webinar for the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)  Investors’ Council on opportunities in the health sector to address critical needs in emerging markets. Most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have universal public healthcare systems, however, the infrastructure, especially outside of capital cities and for higher complexity needs, is typically insufficient. There are long wait times for services, limited geographic access to specialists and often long payment cycles for private providers serving lower income patients. These combined factors result in a lack of access to quality care in a timely fashion.