For the last two decades, major Asian economies have successfully kept their economic growth momentum going. Now, as these economies are entering a new phase of economic growth, more attention is being paid to their respective states of social development, especially the provision and the expansion of social security and, in particular, health care. Academic study of the development of health care in developing countries has been for the most part neglected by the literature, and in-depth country case studies that are directly comparable on a one-to-one basis have not yet been conducted in a systematic manner. This book volume also proposes a new stance on health policy and the health care policy paradigm, one that focuses on "saving lives" from premature death, as well as illness, accidents, misery and poverty, based on the normative theory of developmental social policy (DSP).

This groundbreaking book will therefore serve as a valuable reference volume for health policy, social policy and public policy experts, social development experts, health and development economists, health sociologists, social workers, government administrators as well as other medical and health professionals and academics.