Each year, 5 million people in low- and middle-income countries die from treatable conditions, including vaccine-preventable diseases, maternal disorders, and road injuries The cause is poor-quality medical care Examples include providers who spend too little time with patients or are unqualified to diagnose their condition Groups less likely to receive high-quality care include people living in poverty, those with stigmatized health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, and other vulnerable groups such as refugees and migrants While many low- and middle-income countries have increased access to care, poor quality care is now responsible for a greater number of deaths than lack of access These findings, published by The Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems, emphasize the need for investment in and measurement of health systems to ensure high-quality care worldwide Margaret Kruk, associate professor of global health, Harvard Chan School
