[afro-nets] Update on World Bank failures to fight malaria (2)

General afro-nets
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Update on World Bank failures to fight malaria (2)
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When reading this article, please keep in mind the source.

The American Enterprise Institute is a right-wing American think tank that opposes foreign aid and development assistance programs in general. Their disparaging prejudgment is apparent in the language they use to describe the Bank's efforts (e.g., "the Bank's mission creep into disease control"). They are also notorious for misquoting, quoting out of context, misconstruing, and using unscientifically sound research techniques.

A good example: In complaining about Bank biases, they cite an anonymous source: "We all know that project concepts are most strongly influenced by the expertise of those managing the projects."

Question: What respectable project doesn't rely in part on the expertise of those managing the projects?

This being said, the Institute is correct to make sure the Bank's role in disease eradication programs is critically evaluated. Right message even if delivered by the wrong messenger.

Barry Ravitch
Population Council
mailto:BRAVITCH@popcouncil.org

The above message states the opinions of the sender and is not an official representation of Population Council positions.

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Update on World Bank failures to fight malaria (3)
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Barry,

If I am to understand the premise of your posting, it is OK to question the banks role in disease eradication but not OK if you are Right of center.

Perhaps the Institute would just like to know where the money is going. It is no secret that money that is targeted for Africa gets side tracked and spent foolishly. I'm sorry but I don't buy the premise of your allegations. I took a couple of minutes to look at the Institutes web site and found that they are truly Conservative in their titles etc. I cannot speak to their truthfulness, but it would take more than your say so for me to pass judgment on this organization.

It is no secret to the failures of the WHO and World Bank however, and I believe that calling them to account is proper and necessary to bring about change and yes transparency.

Cheers,

Craig
mailto:cybrcollectinc@yahoo.com

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Update on World Bank failures to fight malaria (4)
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Barry,

You wrote, "They [AEI] are also notorious for misquoting, quoting out of context, misconstruing, and using unscientifically sound research techniques."

If you expect your remarks to be taken seriously by sensible people and not dismissed as blanket skepticism of organizations that don't support the Population Council's agenda, you should provide evidence. Without it this message is a bald, ideological swipe and certainly not a "scientifically sound" criticism. Moreover it had nothing to do with institutional accountability for malaria control spending, which was the subject of the paper. Your only topical complaint was itself taken out of context:

You wrote, "A good example: In complaining about Bank biases, they cite an anonymous source: 'We all know that project concepts are most strongly influenced by the expertise of those managing the projects.' Question: What respectable project doesn't rely in part on the expertise of those managing the projects?"

The point of the paragraph, taken as a whole (below), clearly argues that disease control specialists employed by the Bank are tailoring projects to disease control instead of health systems financing, which is the Bank's historical area of expertise and comparative advantage. You can agree or disagree, but at least give the argument fair play:

The paper states, "The Bank's systems-building operations are overseen by the Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) division and cover lending, analysis, and technical assistance. HNP could be more of a valuable resource for developing countries but many of its staff members are talented people in the wrong jobs, such as medical doctors or epidemiologists who really belong at the WHO.9 As a Bank economist anonymously told me, "We all know that project concepts are most strongly influenced by the expertise of those managing the projects."10 Thus with an influx of epidemiologists and medical doctors to the Bank, disease control programs have been increasingly selected to the detriment of projects favoring systems development; and it's the latter that many countries require most."

Do you have any other specific complaints about the quotes, context, and research techniques used in THIS particular paper? I'm sure we can have a reasonable discussion on the subject.

Philip
mailto:pcoticelli@gmail.com