The Role of World Bank Lending in Middle-Income Countries

2017 ◽  
pp. 119-127
2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 733-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Inklaar ◽  
Addisu A. Lashitew ◽  
Marcel P. Timmer

Misallocation of resources across firms leads to lower aggregate productivity. In this paper, we provide new estimates of manufacturing productivity differences across countries and establish by how much they would be reduced if such misallocation were eliminated. Using World Bank survey data for formal manufacturing firms in 52 low- and middle-income countries, we show that manufacturing productivity would increase by an average of 62%, but productivity gaps relative to the United States would remain large. We also find that lower-income countries do not have more to gain from reducing misallocation, as efficiency of resource allocation is uncorrelated with income levels.


Author(s):  
Harry Minas

This chapter provides an overview of what is known about prevalence, social determinants, treatment, and course and impact of depression in developing, or low- and middle-income, countries. The importance of culture in depression and in the construction and application of diagnostic classifications and in health and social services is highlighted, with a particular focus on the applicability of ‘Western’ diagnostic constructs and service systems in developing country settings. The role of international organizations, such as WHO, and international development programs, such as the SDGs, in improving our understanding of depression and in developing effective and culturally appropriate responses is briefly examined. There is both a need and increasing opportunities in developing countries for greater commitment to mental health of populations, increased investment in mental health and social services, and culturally informed research that will contribute to improved global understanding of mental disorders in general and depression in particular.


2021 ◽  
pp. 004947552098277
Author(s):  
Madhu Kharel ◽  
Alpha Pokharel ◽  
Krishna P Sapkota ◽  
Prasant V Shahi ◽  
Pratisha Shakya ◽  
...  

Evidence-based decision-making is less common in low- and middle-income countries where the research capacity remains low. Nepal, a lower-middle-income country in Asia, is not an exception. We conducted a rapid review to identify the trend of health research in Nepal and found more than seven-fold increase in the number of published health-related articles between 2000 and 2018. The proportion of articles with Nepalese researchers as the first authors has also risen over the years, though they are still only in two-thirds of the articles in 2018.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2333794X2110222
Author(s):  
Ravi K. Mooli ◽  
Kalaimaran Sadasivam

Many children needing pediatric intensive care units care require inotropes, which are started peripherally prior to securing a central venous access. However, many hospitals in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) may not have access to central lines and the vasoactive medications are frequently given through a peripheral venous access. Aim: The aim of our study was to describe the role of peripheral vasoactive inotropes in children. Methods: Children requiring peripheral vasoactive medications were included in this study. We retrospectively collected data at 2 time points on use and complications of peripheral vasoactive medications. Results: Eighty-four children (51 pre-COVID era and 33 COVID pandemic) received peripheral vasoactive medications. Only 3% of children (3/84) developed extravasation injury, all of whom recovered completely. Conclusions: Results from our study suggest that extravasation injury due to peripheral inotrope infusion is very low (3%) and it may be safely administered in children at a diluted concentration.


2021 ◽  
pp. archdischild-2020-321385
Author(s):  
Omar Irfan ◽  
Fiona Muttalib ◽  
Kun Tang ◽  
Li Jiang ◽  
Zohra S Lassi ◽  
...  

ObjectiveCompare paediatric COVID-19 disease characteristics, management and outcomes according to World Bank country income level and disease severity.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.SettingBetween 1 December 2019 and 8 January 2021, 3350 articles were identified. Two reviewers conducted study screening, data abstraction and quality assessment independently and in duplicate. Observational studies describing laboratory-confirmed paediatric (0–19 years old) COVID-19 were considered for inclusion.Main outcomes and measuresThe pooled proportions of clinical findings, treatment and outcomes were compared according to World Bank country income level and reported disease severity.Results129 studies were included from 31 countries comprising 10 251 children of which 57.4% were hospitalised. Mean age was 7.0 years (SD 3.6), and 27.1% had a comorbidity. Fever (63.3%) and cough (33.7%) were common. Of 3670 cases, 44.1% had radiographic abnormalities. The majority of cases recovered (88.9%); however, 96 hospitalised children died. Compared with high-income countries, in low-income and middle-income countries, a lower proportion of cases were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) (9.9% vs 26.0%) yet pooled proportion of deaths among hospitalised children was higher (relative risk 2.14, 95% CI 1.43 to 3.20). Children with severe disease received antimicrobials, inotropes and anti-inflammatory agents more frequently than those with non-severe disease. Subgroup analyses showed that a higher proportion of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) were admitted to ICU (47.1% vs 22.9%) and a higher proportion of hospitalised children with MIS-C died (4.8% vs 3.6%) compared with the overall sample.ConclusionPaediatric COVID-19 has a favourable prognosis. Further severe disease characterisation in children is needed globally.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (02) ◽  
pp. 2050013
Author(s):  
SIDHESWAR PANDA ◽  
RUCHI SHARMA

In view of the technological advances made by emerging economies, we revisit the role of technological specializations of different economies in determining their exports. Employing revealed technological advantage (RTA) index and revealed symmetric technological advantage (RSTA) index, this study explores the technological specialization of countries in different fields and its contribution to high-technology exports. Technological specializations are operationalized using patent data and further analyzed in context of country’s exports data of 63 countries during 2000–2013. Using panel quantile regressions analysis, this paper finds that technological specialization determines the export performance of countries in different categories. We find that middle-income countries are among the top countries with respect to few fields of technological specializations. Hence, there is a need to change the perspective whereby developing countries are viewed as mere technological follower. This finding has an implication for the role of patents in technological specialization and export performance, both of which are important factors in international competitiveness.


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