[Relationships between health, development and poverty reduction]

This article starts with the observation of a non-linear relationship between health progress and economic development. This relationship is interpreted as resulting from a bidirectional interaction between these two variables, which may lead a country to a poverty trap or, alternatively, to a virtuous circle of economic take-off. Emerging countries have pulled out of poverty after having made progress in health and education. African countries still lag behind in this respect, and their backwardness has been worsened by the HIV/AIDS crisis. This analysis contributes to justifying the current emphasis on aid policies to the health sector in Africa. However, improving health conditions, and escaping the poverty trap, cannot be done just by increasing health budgets. More emphasis should be put on necessary reforms to improve efficiency and equity in health policies.