[EQ] US Global Health Initiative: Informing Policy With Evidence

The US Global Health Initiative: Informing Policy With Evidence

Eran Bendavid and Grant Miller
Division of General Internal Medicine, Center for Health Policy, and the Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research, Stanford University, Stanford, California (Drs Bendavid and Miller); and National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Dr Miller).
JAMA. 2010;304(7):791-792. - Vol. 304 No. 7, August 18, 2010
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT

“….The US approach to global health is changing in ways that present an enormous opportunity to understand the link between foreign assistance and health…”

In May 2009, the Obama Administration unveiled a 6-year $63 billion Global Health Initiative (GHI),1 increasing its commitment to supporting health care in the world's poorest countries during tight budgetary times. The initiative aims to consolidate many of the existing programs in an effort to improve coordination of the current structure that uses multiple government agencies and programs. The core principles reveal several departures from the past decade's approaches that include implementing new women-centered and girl-centered approaches; strengthening health care systems; increasing support to multilateral organizations such as the GAVI Alliance (formerly The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) and the Global Fund; and encouraging country ownership of health care plans.2…..”

 

From: Lawrence Gostin  

The President's Global Health Initiative
JAMA 2010 - Vol. 304 No. 7, August 18, 2010
 
Available at http://bit.ly/b1TNas

“……The U.S. Global Health Initiative (GHI) represents the Obama administration’s new strategy for international development assistance in health.  With a pledge of $63 billion over six years, GHI aims to fund PEPFAR and a set of broader global health issues (e.g., maternal and child health, nutrition, and neglected tropical diseases).  GHI is also being framed as “smart power” whereby health would serve as a critical tool for U.S. foreign policy.  
 
However, as the U.S. enters a period of severe budgetary restraint and as domestic crises rise to the fore, the promise of global health reform could become illusory.  The lack of coordination and coherence in the U.S. global health architecture, as well as the broader U.S. foreign assistance system, require fundamental changes in the U.S. approach to global health going forward. This article analyzes current weaknesses in the GHI strategy and makes four key suggestions for the transformation of the U.S. global health enterprise under GHI.  

These suggestions include:
(1) the devotion of resources that are predictable, sustainable, and scalable to needs;
(2) the development of a true “whole of government” approach;
(3) greater collaboration with international partners for success; and
(4) the encouragement of host country ownership…..”

Lawrence O. Gostin, Linda D. and Timothy J. O’Neill Professor of Global Health Law -Faculty Director, O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
Director, WHO Collaborating Center on Public Health Law & Human Rights -Professor of Public Health, the Johns Hopkins University - Georgetown Law     -Washington,  DC  USA

 *      *     *

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 dispose of and delete this transmission. 

Thank you.