.
Global health diplomacy is the interdisciplinary field where health sciences, including medicine, meet policy-making. A simple definition would struggle to capture the broad spectrum covered by this emerging field, which exceeds the disciplinary boundaries of public policy and health sciences. The discipline relies on training, advanced research and critical exploration of cultural, social and political affairs and their relation to healthcare.
Global Health Diplomacy Intertwines Policy and Healthcare
Diplomatic and health care professionals aiming to improve health through foreign policy are global health diplomacy’s integral actors. In new global health organizations, the role of biosecurity, pharmaceutical research, and bio-clinical research are the foundation of global health diplomacy. Furthermore, global health diplomacy, whose policies affect massive amounts of people, is shaped by diplomatic, epidemiological, and ethical realities. These realities are determined by funding, policies, and technology—three factors that help identify upcoming trends.
Global health diplomacy increasingly relies on interaction among health infrastructures and players within global health diplomacy. Accountability of players; including governments, non-governmental institutions, philanthropic institutions, and members of the private sector; is crucial.
Health relies on international cooperation. As such, international partners within healthcare exceed traditional sovereign states. With this understanding, health diplomats must understand global health diplomacy and its limitations, structures, approaches and potential relationship pitfalls. However, within global health diplomacy, a mass array of actors determine funding and set individual agendas in health policymaking.
Institutions are Among Global Health Diplomacy’s Many Actors
Included in these actors are large institutions. Large institutions, who pioneered healthcare intervention, play an influential role in he future of healthcare related policies that have concrete and measurable impact. The Rockefeller Foundation, Rotary International and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are examples of philanthropic organizations that create new notions of civil society and public responsibility.
Technology Furthers Global Health Diplomacy
Another factor, technology, plays an immense role in global health diplomacy. Technology has always been regarded as a means towards advancement but not an actor itself. Technological innovations in healthcare have resulted in major changes in many disciplines, ranging from the development of new drugs to telemedicine or even drug logistics.
In particular, the expansion of pharmaceutical and biomedical research may contribute to the eradication or limitation of certain diseases. Additionally, there is a new generation of drones that are being used to reach isolated communities or individuals who lack nearby healthcare facilities. Thus, technological developments and drug research are enabling healthcare professionals and political actors to target health in new, innovative ways.
Time is not the Most Important Factor
Posing a challenge, the importance of policies, initiatives or players often pales in comparison to the perceived importance of time. The amount of time taken to respond to a healthcare crisis undoubtedly relates to the effectiveness of the intervention (measured in terms of relieved pain and restored health) but is not the most important factor.
Undoubtedly, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), SARS and Ebola were cases of stratified, successful contests against dreadful diseases. However, in these cases time was not been the most decisive factor. Although speed is preferable in medicine and healthcare, the therapeutic intervention pipeline is the bottleneck in the implementation of a curative approach.
Exhibiting the importance of global health diplomacy, two of the eight UN millennium development goals refer to health issues. These goals are to improve maternal health and to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
Illegal Immigration Compromises Health
Although not included in the millennium development goals for combating the spread of diseases, immigration and migration pose major risks to global health.
Illegal immigration results in inadequate living conditions, increased exposure to harmful factors, an absence of health insurance coverage and under-treatment of illnesses. Immigrants represent a vulnerable population with endangered human rights and fragile health.
Within immigration and migration, global health diplomacy plays a pivotal role ensuring the healthcare sustainability of individuals, and providing preventive measures for the societal spread of disease. This aspect of global health diplomacy is delicate, but is also urgent. Thus, it requires solutions in real time and decisions that respect the balances of international diplomacy.
Global Health Diplomacy Requires a Fluid, Creative Approach
Global health diplomacy, like medicine, is more of an art than a science. It has to be executed in an ethical manner and with respect to the historical, political, social, cultural, and economic differences between each involved party. Health diplomats have the privilege to operate on the highest international level, while at the same time bearing the responsibility of serving more than just a nation.
Health’s inclusion in foreign policy does not and will not ensure worldwide health. However, its inclusion adds merit to the perspective that foreign policy advancements benefit everyone.
Collectively, diplomats design and implement policies that change the demographic landscape of entire countries. Global health diplomacy is a philanthropic and profoundly political service, which places humans at the center of attention and uses all available means to sustain their health.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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Global Health vis-à-vis Diplomacy
DNA microarrays
June 28, 2015
Global health diplomacy is the interdisciplinary field where health sciences, including medicine, meet policy-making. A simple definition would struggle to capture the broad spectrum covered by this emerging field, which exceeds the disciplinary boundaries of public policy and health sciences. The discipline relies on training, advanced research and critical exploration of cultural, social and political affairs and their relation to healthcare.
Global Health Diplomacy Intertwines Policy and Healthcare
Diplomatic and health care professionals aiming to improve health through foreign policy are global health diplomacy’s integral actors. In new global health organizations, the role of biosecurity, pharmaceutical research, and bio-clinical research are the foundation of global health diplomacy. Furthermore, global health diplomacy, whose policies affect massive amounts of people, is shaped by diplomatic, epidemiological, and ethical realities. These realities are determined by funding, policies, and technology—three factors that help identify upcoming trends.
Global health diplomacy increasingly relies on interaction among health infrastructures and players within global health diplomacy. Accountability of players; including governments, non-governmental institutions, philanthropic institutions, and members of the private sector; is crucial.
Health relies on international cooperation. As such, international partners within healthcare exceed traditional sovereign states. With this understanding, health diplomats must understand global health diplomacy and its limitations, structures, approaches and potential relationship pitfalls. However, within global health diplomacy, a mass array of actors determine funding and set individual agendas in health policymaking.
Institutions are Among Global Health Diplomacy’s Many Actors
Included in these actors are large institutions. Large institutions, who pioneered healthcare intervention, play an influential role in he future of healthcare related policies that have concrete and measurable impact. The Rockefeller Foundation, Rotary International and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are examples of philanthropic organizations that create new notions of civil society and public responsibility.
Technology Furthers Global Health Diplomacy
Another factor, technology, plays an immense role in global health diplomacy. Technology has always been regarded as a means towards advancement but not an actor itself. Technological innovations in healthcare have resulted in major changes in many disciplines, ranging from the development of new drugs to telemedicine or even drug logistics.
In particular, the expansion of pharmaceutical and biomedical research may contribute to the eradication or limitation of certain diseases. Additionally, there is a new generation of drones that are being used to reach isolated communities or individuals who lack nearby healthcare facilities. Thus, technological developments and drug research are enabling healthcare professionals and political actors to target health in new, innovative ways.
Time is not the Most Important Factor
Posing a challenge, the importance of policies, initiatives or players often pales in comparison to the perceived importance of time. The amount of time taken to respond to a healthcare crisis undoubtedly relates to the effectiveness of the intervention (measured in terms of relieved pain and restored health) but is not the most important factor.
Undoubtedly, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), SARS and Ebola were cases of stratified, successful contests against dreadful diseases. However, in these cases time was not been the most decisive factor. Although speed is preferable in medicine and healthcare, the therapeutic intervention pipeline is the bottleneck in the implementation of a curative approach.
Exhibiting the importance of global health diplomacy, two of the eight UN millennium development goals refer to health issues. These goals are to improve maternal health and to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
Illegal Immigration Compromises Health
Although not included in the millennium development goals for combating the spread of diseases, immigration and migration pose major risks to global health.
Illegal immigration results in inadequate living conditions, increased exposure to harmful factors, an absence of health insurance coverage and under-treatment of illnesses. Immigrants represent a vulnerable population with endangered human rights and fragile health.
Within immigration and migration, global health diplomacy plays a pivotal role ensuring the healthcare sustainability of individuals, and providing preventive measures for the societal spread of disease. This aspect of global health diplomacy is delicate, but is also urgent. Thus, it requires solutions in real time and decisions that respect the balances of international diplomacy.
Global Health Diplomacy Requires a Fluid, Creative Approach
Global health diplomacy, like medicine, is more of an art than a science. It has to be executed in an ethical manner and with respect to the historical, political, social, cultural, and economic differences between each involved party. Health diplomats have the privilege to operate on the highest international level, while at the same time bearing the responsibility of serving more than just a nation.
Health’s inclusion in foreign policy does not and will not ensure worldwide health. However, its inclusion adds merit to the perspective that foreign policy advancements benefit everyone.
Collectively, diplomats design and implement policies that change the demographic landscape of entire countries. Global health diplomacy is a philanthropic and profoundly political service, which places humans at the center of attention and uses all available means to sustain their health.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
