Smart investments in health: A tool for improving the management of non-communicable diseases.

Sir,

Investing in health refers to the investment in human resources, material, equipment, physical space, and intersectional and international interactions. One type of investment in the field of health is smart investment. Smart investment means informed decisions, making for investing in an accurate and accountable opportunity, so that an investor exactly supervised how to invest and the protection of capital.[1] It is significant that the return on investment in health field is almost twice of that in oil and gas fields and with smart investment in a specified time period achieved optimal productivity. The world's largest economic companies are looking for investment in the health sector. One of the main issues in the health system in developing countries is lack of investment in this sector.[2]

One of the health threats is noncommunicable diseases. Noncommunicable diseases are the most important risk factor for early deaths and disability in communities, which in turn lead to serious productivity and economic losses. The phenomenon of urbanization and lifestyle changes is rapidly increasing the burden of noncommunicable diseases in developing countries; hence, investment and planning in noncommunicable diseases is important with regard to goals of social determinants of health to overcome health inequities and other unfair and avoidable differences in health status observed within and between countries.[3]

Health is a holistic and also a multidimensional concept requiring partnership and collaboration of the whole community for health promotion. It is important that providing, maintaining, and promoting the health of a community by just a ministry (health) will not be possible and preventive actions and response to noncommunicable diseases must be carried out by all existing systems in the community.[4] For example, insurance coverage plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of noncommunicable diseases. In the past, insurance organizations only provided therapeutic services; however, now, it has become evident that if insurance organizations invest in the primary health by providing insurance services to healthy people, lots of future expenditures for the treatment of patients could be reduced. The optimal functioning of existing organizations in the society to better control diseases, to delay complications, and to increase the patient's quality of life need to be reassessed. Considering the avoidable nature of noncommunicable diseases and lack of enough resources for them, appropriate policies have not been developed in the field of smart investment in healthcare so far.[5]

As mentioned, smart investment in the field of noncommunicable diseases will have a direct impact on the economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions. The health system's performance in the field of noncommunicable disease will be promoted if the fundamental steps toward smart investment are taken. Smart investment steps are shown in Figure 1. The stages of the development and implementation of smart investment planning can include the dimensions described in Table 1 encompassing all aspects of noncommunicable disease. In the early phases of smart investment, one must know the idea and get the right understanding of the investment. In the field, all stakeholders are justified to understand investment procedures and to provide basic information. The health department should provide a simple, systematic, and organized solution for smart investment in noncommunicable diseases field and those solutions with regard to the current and future status. The smart investment describes the dilemmas and tips and points out how to ask smart questions from investment advisers and experts, and to set clear goals and to make the right decision in noncommunicable diseases field.

Figure 1

Development and implementation of smart investment

Table 1

Domains of smart investment

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.