Trade in Health-Care Related Services in the Global Economy

Globalization has had a profound impact on most, if not all trade in services, even though the share of trade in services globally is still low compared with trade in goods. Health care services have also been impacted by globalization as services have progressively become more tradable. In terms of global trade, the health care sector is regulated by the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Health care in this context is regarded as a commodity to be sold through private market relationships to those who can afford to pay rather than as a public good which should be equally distributed to all. This book examines the health care sector in South Africa and Canada with a view to ascertaining the nature, extent and factors affecting trade in health care services in the two countries. It considers how the GATS may otherwise impede Canada and South Africa s observation of the obligation to progressively realize and guarantee the right to health. It suggests possible ways for ensuring that the right to health care is protected in South Africa and Canada without any derogation from competitiveness in the international market to provide those services in both jurisdictions.