International Trade in Services.pdf - DSpace at Khazar University

138 International Trade in Services
fundamental role in setting standards in the health sector that are main drivers of
the trade in health services. It is therefore important for all countries involved in
the international trade in health services to participate actively in international
rule making, implementation, and enforcement.
Conclusion
This chapter aims to help policy makers increase their understanding of the trade
in the health service phenomenon by providing guidelines on ways to foster the
trade in health services and, most important, the benefits of this trade. Some of
the key steps that are described in this chapter and that should be taken before
making decisions pertaining to a country’s participation in the global trade in
health services are indicated below. The chapter provides guidance to countries in
addressing key issues and making optimal choices with regard to trade and public
health.
• What is the balance between the potential benefits and the costs of increased
trade in health services For each of the four modes of service delivery identified
in the GATS (crossborder, consumption abroad, foreign establishment,
and the movement of persons), what are the expected benefits and costs of
increased imports and what are the expected benefits and costs of increased
exports
• What are the accompanying measures that will help maximize the benefits and
minimize the costs of increased trade These measures include avoiding an
internal and external human resource drain, preserving universal access and
other legitimate public health objectives, avoiding a two-tier health system,
improving quality and widening the access to health services, promoting transfers
of technology and expertise, and increasing the human and financial
resources in health care. The measures involved should cover each of the delivery
modes, as well as imports and exports.
There is a need to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks of
the country in the health service sector. When considering how to remedy weaknesses,
it is necessary to fix the fundamentals (education, training, infrastructure,
and technology) and to adapt the domestic regulatory framework (regulatory
audit and the reform of the rules that are more trade restrictive than necessary to
achieve legitimate public health objectives). Maintaining the strengths involves
designing an export promotion strategy (finding the right niches, tapping the
right markets) and improving coordination in the public sector and with the private
sector (improving statistics and creating a horizontal structure for cooperation,