[EQ] The Global Health System: Actors, Norms, and Expectations in Transition

The Global Health System: Actors, Norms, and Expectations in Transition

Nicole A. Szleza´k1*, Barry R. Bloom2, Dean T. Jamison3, Gerald T. Keusch4, Catherine M. Michaud5, Suerie

Moon1, William C. Clark1

1 Sustainability Science Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
2 Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
3 Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America

4 Global Health Initiative, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
5 Harvard Initiative for Global Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
PLoS Medicine | www.plosmedicine.org 1 January 2010 | Volume 7 | Issue 1 | e1000183

 

Available online http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000183

 

This is the first in a series of four articles that highlight the changing nature of global health institutions.

“…..The Global Health System: A Time of Transition

The global health system that evolved through the latter half of the 20th century achieved extraordinary success in controlling infectious diseases and reducing child mortality. Life expectancy in low- and middle-income countries increased at a rate of about 5 years every decade for the past 40 years [1]. Today, however, that system is in a state of profound transition.

The need has rarely been greater to rethink how we endeavor to meet global health needs. We present here a series of four papers on one dimension of the global health transition: its changing institutional arrangements. We define institutional arrangements broadly to include both the actors (individuals and/or organizations) that exert influence in global health and the norms and expectations that govern the relationships among them see Box 1 for definitions of the terms used in this article.

The traditional actors on the global health stage—most notably national health ministries and the World Health Organization (WHO)—are now being joined (and sometimes challenged) by an ever-greater variety of civil society and nongovernmental organizations, private firms, and private philanthropists….”

 

 

 *      *     *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.