Health is an important factor in the process of economic development. Good

health is important for increasing the productivity of labor force and for raising the

income-earning ability of farm households. Health also has been shown to have positive and statistically significant effects on economic growth. For example, Fogel (1994) argues that about a third of income growth in Britain between 1790 and 1980 can be attributed to improvements in health. In developing countries, good health is viewed as a critical input into poverty reduction and long-term economic development. In short, it has been argued that investment in health is good business in many different settings and environments.