From Social Justice to Economic Logic: The World Health Organization and Health Sector Reform in Nigeria, 1993–2007

Abstract

This article examines the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in global health governance, particularly in the area of health sector reform. This is a demonstration of its strategic adaptation to the aspirations of wealthy member states and other external forces, such as the World Bank. The article argues that this change in strategic adaptation dramatically undercut the aspiration of the WHO and facilitated the encroachment of economic logic into matters of emerging regimes of global governance of the WHO, by emphasizing the importance of health for economic development rather than as a fundamental part of a nation’s social development. This accounted for the immense technical and financial support the WHO gave to health sector reform in developing countries, particularly Nigeria, to promote equity and access to health services. It concludes that remarkable progress was made through the comprehensive health sector reform largely due to the support from the WHO. What remains to be done is for Nigeria to keep faith with the principles of the Comprehensive Health Sector Reform Programme.