The Human Development Report, 2000 shows Bangladesh to have some of the lowest numbers of doctors and nurses per 100,000 inhabitants, yet the population is steadily growing. On the other hand, the same figures show The Public Health sector of Ukraine ranks among the highest in the world if one looks at the number of doctors and nurses per 100,000 inhabitants; and yet the population of the Ukraine has been steadily declining. This contrast is explored in this paper by focusing upon Governance, Institutions and Culture. The special features of health care, long since highlighted by Kenneth Arrow, provide a theoretical base for looking beyond the standard figures to see the role of health care.