国际英语新闻：OECD ministers agree on better healthcare system to save money

PARIS, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Health ministers and officials from some 35 countries agreed Friday to improve national healthcare system by cooperation and policy amelioration as ways to cut public budget.

Present austerity measures in most areas of the Organization of Economic Cooperation (OECD) augmented pressure on public spending for public service, in particular healthcare, which is "vital for long-term growth," Secretary-General, Angel Gurria said at a two- day ministerial health forum at the OECD headquarters.

In this context, the senior officials attending the meeting reached a final statement, agreeing to further control health spending as well as advance quality and quantity of healthcare.

Other promotions included "spending money wisely on prevention diseases," "learning good practice from other countries," and "promoting dialogue and co-operation with governments of emerging and developing countries to address common health challenges."

"Strategies may be needed to build better coherence and knowledge-sharing across often-fragmented health departments, in order to reduce delays, avoid duplication and reduce risks to patients," Gurria added.

According to OECD data, life expectancy in OECD are has increased by 10 years since 1960, however, before the crisis, health spending on a per capita basis was rising some two to three times faster than the rest of the economy.

In the past 10 years, health expenditures in OECD countries increased by 50 percent in real terms. In seven OECD countries, they account for more than 10 percent of the economy.