1
|
Suarez-Herrera JC, Abeldaño Zúñiga RA, Díaz-Castro L. Strategic Alliances in Global Health: Innovative Perspectives in the Era of Sustainable Development. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:1198. [PMID: 38921312 PMCID: PMC11204177 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12121198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
This article discusses current challenges in the field of global health and the World Health Organization's (WHO) strategies to address them. It highlights the importance of measuring the health impacts of global recession and globalization and the need for human-centered approaches to sustainable development. Emphasis is placed on commitment to health equity and the use of strategic partnerships for health at global, national, and local levels. Improving the health and well-being of populations, as well as public health equity, are core principles of the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These principles are expressed in SDG 3, which promotes universal access to health services and systems and recognizes global health as a basic human right. It highlights the importance of strategic partnerships to combat emerging health crises, improve public health indices, and address the burden of chronic disease. These partnerships are contemplated in SDG 17 and are manifested in different modalities, such as network governance, cross-sector collaboration, public-private partnership, and social participation. This diversity of alliances has played an important role in scaling up and strengthening universal health systems around the world, including in Latin America and the Caribbean. The text concludes by presenting the essential characteristics of these inter-organizational and inter-institutional alliances in the field of global health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Carlos Suarez-Herrera
- Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer, Mid-Atlantic University, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain;
| | - Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zúñiga
- Yhteiskuntadatatieteen Keskus, Valtiotieteellinen Tiedekunta, Helsingin Yliopisto, 00150 Helsinki, Finland
- Postgraduate Department, University of Sierra Sur, Oaxaca 70800, Mexico
| | - Lina Díaz-Castro
- Direction of Epidemiological and Psychosocial Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, México City 14370, Mexico;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Holzer F, Roa TM, Germani F, Biller‐Andorno N, Luna F. Charity or empowerment? The role of COVAX for low and middle-income countries. Dev World Bioeth 2023; 23:59-66. [PMID: 35307947 PMCID: PMC9111754 DOI: 10.1111/dewb.12349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
What has the past reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic taught us? We have seen that many low and middle-income countries (LMICs) still lack access to vaccines, and it seems little progress has been made in the last few months and year. This article discusses whether the current strategies, most notably, vaccine donations by the international community and the COVID-19 global access facility COVAX, offer meaningful solutions to tackle the problem. At the centre of our analysis, we compare the concepts of "donations" and "charity" with "vaccine equity" and the "empowerment" of poorer countries. We suggest that the achievement of fair global vaccine production requires that our global approach is supportive of the idea of empowerment. We, therefore, need structural reforms, which would most importantly include capacity building, to positively impact this goal and to take the interests of the global poor seriously.
Collapse
|
3
|
Yakubu K, Shanthosh J, Adebayo KO, Peiris D, Joshi R. Scope of health worker migration governance and its impact on emigration intentions among skilled health workers in Nigeria. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0000717. [PMID: 36962781 PMCID: PMC10021292 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The growing trends for skilled health worker (SHW) migration in Nigeria has led to increased concerns about achieving universal health coverage in the country. While a lot is known about drivers of SHW migration, including national/sub-national government's inability to address them, not enough is known about its governance. Underpinning good governance systems is a commitment to human rights norms, that is, principles that enshrine non-discrimination, participation, accountability, and transparency. Hence, this study was aimed at deriving a conceptual framework that captures the scope of SHW migration governance in Nigeria and the extent to which it is human rights based. To describe the scope of SHW migration governance, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis and mapped our findings to themes derived from a qualitative analysis. We also did a multivariate analysis, examining how governance items are related to migration intentions of SHWs. The scope of SHW migration governance in Nigeria can be described across three levels: Constitutional-where policies about the economy and the health workforce are made and often poorly implemented; Collective-which responds to the governance vacuum at the constitutional level by promoting SHW migration or trying to mitigate its impact; Operational-individual SHWs who navigate the tension between the right to health, their right to fair remuneration, living/working conditions, and free movement. Examining these levels revealed opportunities for collaboration through stronger commitment to human right norms. In recognising their role as rights holders and duty bearers at various levels, citizens, health advocates, health workers, community groups and policy makers can work collaboratively towards addressing factors related to SHW migration. Further evidence is needed on how human rights norms can play a visible role in Nigeria's governance system for SHW migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Yakubu
- The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Janani Shanthosh
- The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Australian Human Rights Institute, Faculty of Law and Justice, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kudus Oluwatoyin Adebayo
- African Centre for Migration and Society, University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Diaspora and Transnational Studies Unit, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - David Peiris
- The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rohina Joshi
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health India, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Moser F, Bump JB. Assessing the World Health Organization: What does the academic debate reveal and is it democratic? Soc Sci Med 2022; 314:115456. [PMID: 36274457 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO), the leading global authority in public health, routinely attracts loud calls for reform. Although Member States negotiate reform internally, academic debate is more public, and can generate ideas and provide independent accountability. We investigate why authors advocate for WHO reform so commonly. We wondered if this literature had potentially useful themes for WHO, what methods and evidence were used, and we wanted to analyze the geography of participation. We conducted a systematic review using four databases to identify 139 articles assessing WHO or advocating for reform. We discuss these using categories we derived from the management literature on organizational performance. We also analyzed evidence, country of origin, and topic. The literature we reviewed contained 998 claims about WHO's performance or reform, although there were no standard methods for assessing WHO. We developed a framework to analyze WHO's performance and structure a synthesis of the claims, which find WHO imperiled. Its legitimacy and governance are weakened by disagreements about purpose, unequal Member State influence, and inadequate accountability. Contestation of goals and strategies constrain planning. Structure and workforce deficiencies limit coordination, agility, and competence. WHO has technical and normative authority, but insufficient independence and legal power to influence uncooperative states. WHO's identity claims transparency, independence, and courage, but these aspirations are betrayed in times of need. Most articles (88%) were commentaries without specified methods. More than three-quarters (76%) originated from the US, the UK, or Switzerland. A quarter of papers (25%) focused on international infectious disease outbreaks, and another 25% advocated for WHO reform generally. Many criticisms cite wide-ranging performance problems, some of which may relate to obstructive behavior by Member States. This literature is incomplete in the geographic representation of authors, evidence, methods, and topics. We offer ideas for developing more rigorous and inclusive academic debate on WHO.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Moser
- Institute of Public Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jesse B Bump
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Bergen Center for Ethics and Priority Setting, University of Bergen, Norway; Initiative on the Future of Health and Economic Resilience in Africa, Boston MA 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yu J. Influence of HP Financial Economic Effect on Environmental Visualization under Sustainable Development. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2022:7891516. [PMID: 36105507 PMCID: PMC9467723 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7891516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
With the proposal of a sustainable development strategy, HP Finance has received extensive attention in the market, and its economic effects have also promoted the vitality of social development. However, the core of sustainable development is to achieve a two-dimensional balance between economic effects and the environment. In recent years, ecological and environmental problems have become more and more prominent and continue to bring challenges to the sustainable development of society. Environmental visualization plays an increasingly important role in the development of the times. Only by understanding the influencing factors of environmental visualization and promoting the healthy development of environmental visualization can social development goals be achieved. In the context of the social implementation of sustainable development strategies, this article deeply studies the impact of HP's financial economic effects on environmental visualization. Based on analyzing the development characteristics and status quo of the two, a fixed-effect model and a spatial model were constructed, and the specific impact of economic effects on environmental visualization was further explored. It was found through regression analysis that the breadth of coverage of economic effects and the depth of use improved the development efficiency of environmental visualization at the significance level of 0.05, respectively. However, the degree of opening to the outside world and the industrial structure in the economic effect hindered the development of environmental visualization. Its regression coefficients were -0.142, -0.134 and -0.527, -0.537. In the regression analysis of the spatial effect with a significance level of 0.01, the HP financial economic effect could promote the development of local environmental visualization, but it also hindered the development of adjacent environmental visualization. It shows that only the balanced development of economic efficiency among various regions can promote the positive improvement of the level of environmental visualization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Yu
- School of Finance, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin 150028, Heilongjiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Alnwisi SMM, Chai C, Acharya BK, Qian AM, Zhang S, Zhang Z, Vaughn MG, Xian H, Wang Q, Lin H. Empirical dynamic modeling of the association between ambient PM 2.5 and under-five mortality across 2851 counties in Mainland China, 1999-2012. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 237:113513. [PMID: 35453020 PMCID: PMC9061697 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution has been associated with mortality from various diseases, however, its association with under-five mortality rate (U5MR) has remained largely unknown. METHODS Based on the U5MR data across 2851 counties in Mainland China from 1999 to 2012, we employed approximate Bayesian latent Gaussian models to assess the association between ambient PM2.5 and U5MR at the county level for the whole nation and sub-regions. GDP growth rate, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), temperature, and night-time light were included as covariates using a smoothing function. We further implemented an empirical dynamic model (EDM) to explore the potential causal relationship between PM2.5 and U5MR. RESULTS We observed a declining trend in U5MR in most counties throughout the study period. Spatial heterogeneity in U5MR was observed. Nationwide analysis suggested that each 10 µg/m3 increase in annual concentration of PM2.5 was associated with an increase of 1.2 (95% CI: 1.0 - 1.3) per 1000 live births in U5MR. Regional analyses showed that the strongest positive association was located in the Northeastern part of China [1.8 (95% CI: 1.4 - 2.1)]. The EDM showed a significant causal association between PM2.5 and U5MR, with an embedding dimension of 5 and 7, and nonlinear values θ of 4 and 6, respectively. CONCLUSION China exhibited a downward trend in U5MR from 1999 to 2012, with spatial heterogeneity observed across the country. Our analysis reveals a positive association between PM2.5 and U5MR, which may support a causal relationship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sameh M M Alnwisi
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengwei Chai
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Bipin Kumar Acharya
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Aaron M Qian
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences Saint Louis University, 3700 Lindell Boulevard, Saint Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Shiyu Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zilong Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Michael G Vaughn
- School of Social Work, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Tegeler Hall, 3550 Lindell Boulevard, Saint Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Hong Xian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Qinzhou Wang
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Hualiang Lin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Luna F, Holzer F. Brief communication International cooperation in a non-ideal world: the example of COVAX. CADERNOS IBERO-AMERICANOS DE DIREITO SANITARIO = CUADERNOS IBEROAMERICANOS DE DERECHO SANITARIO 2021; 10:199-210. [PMID: 34938817 PMCID: PMC8691259 DOI: 10.17566/ciads.v10i3.789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The world witnessed one of the fasted responses in history to a new disease in terms of drug and vaccine development. However, despite the fact that safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 were developed at a remarkable pace, international cooperation seems to have failed regarding the global equitable allocation of vaccines. This article explores challenges to international cooperation in global health and specifically to the fair allocation of vaccines at a global scale. We will present major obstacles to cooperative efforts and an interesting answer such as the COVAX facility, a cooperative redistribution scheme that has recently been launched by WHO, CEPI and Gavi. Considering COVAX a laudable and necessary first step to improve international cooperation in health, we nevertheless argue that the facility needs to identify key areas of potential improvement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Luna
- Doctor; Bioethics Program Director,Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO), Bioethics Program, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; principal researcher at National Council of Research in Science and Technology (CONICET)
- Dr. Luna acknowledges that research reported in this publication was supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R25TW001605. The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health
| | - Felicitas Holzer
- PhD, Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Khodadadi N, Aryankhesal A, Maleki M. A comparative study of cooperation models in city council and municipalities with the health system in Iran and selected countries. JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION 2021; 10:7. [PMID: 33688516 PMCID: PMC7933691 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_182_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
AIM This study aimed to identify models for the participation of the city council and municipality with the health system in selected countries. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This is a descriptive comparative study conducted in 2020 qualitatively. The countries studied were examined in terms of the following characteristics: type of political structure, type of health system, level of cooperation between local government and health system, municipal financing, type of financial participation of local government and health system, method or institution for participation Created, level of participation, local government influence on health system decisions, advantages and disadvantages of a partnership between local government and health system. Data were collected through valid databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Search engine) and website of the World Health Organization, local government, and the Ministry of Health of countries concerned and analyzed in a framework of analysis. RESULTS Countries were divided into two groups in terms of a partnership between the health system and local governments, which had a distinct partnership between the health system and local government and without their participation. Factors that contribute to the creating and strengthening of partnerships include beliefs of health authorities and local government, the need for participation, transparency in participatory programs, designing a specific mechanism for participation, local authority, and financing joint participation plans. CONCLUSION In countries with planned participation, citizens have better access to services. Citizens' participation, as well as the private sector, is greater in health issues. In these countries, participation in health financing by the private sector and other related agencies has increased. Planning and service delivery increases according to neighborhood needs. The variety of services provided and the use of new methods of service are more, and in these countries, the focus of the Ministry of Health on the preparation of strategies and monitoring the quality of services is increasing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Najmeh Khodadadi
- Department of Healthcare Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences/ Health Management and Economics Research Center/Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aidin Aryankhesal
- Department of Healthcare Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences/ Health Management and Economics Research Center/ Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Maleki
- Department of Healthcare Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences/ Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sciortino R. Sexual and reproductive health and rights for all in Southeast Asia: more than SDGs aspirations. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2020; 22:744-761. [PMID: 32133935 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2020.1718213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the proclaimed vision of leaving no one behind are lauded for their transformative potential in redressing inequalities. Yet, too few are interrogations of the root causes and underpinning structures that keep uneven development in place. This paper reflects on this omission in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) drawing on over three decades of professional experience in advancing SRHR enriched by literature sources. Engaging with the theme of the 9th Asia-Pacific Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Conference - Leave NO ONE Behind! Justice in Sexual and Reproductive Health, it asks what it would take to realise the pledge of universal access to SRH services and rights. With a focus on Southeast Asia, the paper offers an account of context-specific drivers of disparity and exclusion that preclude the attainment of comprehensive SRHR for all, and especially for stigmatised and marginalised groups. It then discusses the paradigm shift that needs to occur if the ideals of inclusiveness and equity as promised by the SDGs are to be attained in and through SRHR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosalia Sciortino
- Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR), Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
- SEA Junction, Foundation for Southeast Asia Studies, Bangkok, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Hammonds R, Ooms G, Mulumba M, Maleche A. UHC2030's Contributions to Global Health Governance that Advance the Right to Health Care: A Preliminary Assessment. Health Hum Rights 2019; 21:235-249. [PMID: 31885453 PMCID: PMC6927391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The September 2019 United Nations High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) aims to mobilize top-level political support for action on UHC to advance the health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). A driving force behind this meeting is the "UHC Movement," led by UHC2030, which focuses on coordinating and amplifying efforts by WHO, the World Bank, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen health systems and achieve UHC. In line with Horton and Das, this paper contends that while the argument about UHC is won, it is crucially important to focus on "how" UHC will be delivered, and specifically, whether ongoing efforts to advance UHC align with efforts to realize the right to health. This paper offers a preliminary assessment of how UHC2030's contributions to global health governance advance, or not, the right to health care. It builds on a 2014 Go4Health study which identified key normative overlap and gaps in UHC and right to health care principles. Given the importance of civil society participation in advancing health rights, this analysis is complemented by an examination of how UHC2030 might amplify ongoing efforts to advance the right to health care in two UHC2030 partner countries, Kenya and Uganda.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Hammonds
- Fellow in the Law and Development Research Group, Faculty of Law, University of Antwerp, Belgium, and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK
| | - Gorik Ooms
- Professor of Global Health Law & Governance at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, adjunct professor at the Law Faculty of Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA, and visiting professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Moses Mulumba
- Executive Director of the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Allan Maleche
- Executive Director of the Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN), and a member of the UNAIDS Human Rights Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights. is executive director of the Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN), Nairobi, Kenya
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Al-Sharhan S, Omran E, Lari K. An integrated holistic model for an eHealth system: A national implementation approach and a new cloud-based security model. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
12
|
Kumar M. Championing Equity, Empowerment, and Transformational Leadership in (Mental Health) Research Partnerships: Aligning Collaborative Work With the Global Development Agenda. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:99. [PMID: 30936839 PMCID: PMC6432896 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Through a narrative synthesis of existing literature on research partnerships, the paper underscores four core values championed in public policy and practice: equity, empowerment, transformational leadership, and treating mental health research as a cooperative inquiry. Building on these values, the author maps the challenges before mental health researchers in forging resilient, egalitarian, and committed Global North-South partnerships within the context of current global development agenda. Reports appraising the UN Millennium Development Goals lament how the goal of developing global partnerships to combat health, gender, and economic inequities has remained under-realized. Emphasis has been placed on the great need to augment Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in ways where partnership processes would drive development and human rights agenda for the most afflicted, under-resourced, and marginalized in the world. Global North-South partnerships result in fewer lasting benefits to Global South-a regressive trend that is critically analyzed. The need for Global North to adopt ethical and responsible stances while creating/curating new knowledge is discussed. Being responsible is not only imperative for Global North researchers; it is imperative for both North and South researchers to adopt a dialogical approach in clarifying and sharing roles, responsibilities, access, and leadership in developing scholarship and praxis in mental health. The importance of de-centering hierarchies, valuing reciprocity in one another, improving communication, demonstrating empathy, and sharing resources and benefits are found to be key components in the narrative synthesis towards achieving greater empowerment and equity. The paper reflects on the potential problems in engagement and development of de-centered and transformational leadership in partnerships and implications for research ethics in the context of lower-and-middle-income countries. Lastly, the author in a bid to encourage global partnerships suggests that engaging in transparent and bi-directional conversations regarding these issues and realigning research priorities along the four core values will contribute to greater success in research collaborations (across cultural contexts) and more so in the global mental health field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manasi Kumar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.,Department of Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
van de Pas R, Mans L, Bemelmans M, Krumeich A. Framing the Health Workforce Agenda Beyond Economic Growth. Int J Health Policy Manag 2018; 7:678-682. [PMID: 30078287 PMCID: PMC6077282 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2018.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The fourth Global Forum on Human Resources (HRH) for Health was held in Ireland November 2017. Its Dublin declaration mentions that strategic investments in the health workforce could contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth and are an imperative to shared prosperity. What is remarkable about the investment frame for health workforce development is that there is little debate about the type of economic development to be pursued. This article provides three cautionary considerations and argues that, in the longer term, a perspective beyond the dominant economic frame is required to further equitable development of the global health workforce. The first argument includes the notion that the growth that is triggered may not be as inclusive as proponents say it is. Secondly, there are considerable questions on the possibility of expanding fiscal space in low-income countries for public goods such as health services and the sustainability of the resulting economic growth. Thirdly, there is a growing consideration that economic growth solely expressed as increasing gross domestic product (GDP) might have intrinsic problems in advancing sustainable development outcomes. Economic development goals are a useful approach to guiding health workforce policies and health employment but this depends very much on the context. Alternative development models and policy options, such as a Job Guarantee scheme, need to be assessed, deliberated and tested. This would meet considerable political challenges but a narrow single story and frame of economic development is to be rejected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Remco van de Pas
- Maastricht Centre for Global Health, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Linda Mans
- Wemos Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Anja Krumeich
- Maastricht Centre for Global Health, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Health Ethics and Society, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Cerf ME. The Sustainable Development Goals: Contextualizing Africa's Economic and Health Landscape. GLOBAL CHALLENGES (HOBOKEN, NJ) 2018; 2:1800014. [PMID: 31565342 PMCID: PMC6607161 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.201800014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The sustainable development goals (SDGs) encompass 17 goals with targets and indicators, collectively striving to improve national, regional, continental, and global development. SDG 8 strives for improved and sustainable economic growth. Africa's population is estimated to increase markedly and rapidly over the next few decades. The African demographic dividend presents opportunities to be harnessed, but several socioeconomic challenges exist that may constrain progress for achieving the SDGs. Poverty and inequality are pervasive in Africa and constrain economic and health gains. SDG 3 aims for good health and well-being for all ages and has 13 targets linked to 26 indicators. Collectively, SDG 3 targets aim to improve health outcomes by reducing mortality, ending epidemics, and preventing diseases to ensure affordable and quality healthcare access for all. The dynamic African health landscape and scarcity of healthcare human capital also present challenges for advancing SDG 3. The implementation of the SDGs presents major and complex challenges but ultimately yields rewards. Advancement across all SDG 3 targets is necessary for the benefit of healthier global citizens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marlon E. Cerf
- Biomedical Research and Innovation PlatformSouth African Medical Research CouncilPO Box 19070TygerbergCape Town7505South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Te V, Floden N, Hussain S, Brolan CE, Hill PS. What did the Go4Health policy research project contribute to the policy discourse on the sustainable development goals? A reflexive review. Global Health 2018; 14:51. [PMID: 29769100 PMCID: PMC5956956 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-018-0367-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In 2012, the European Commission funded Go4Health—Goals and Governance for Global Health, a consortium of 13 academic research and human rights institutions from both Global North and South—to track the evolution of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and provide ongoing policy advice. This paper reviews the research outputs published between 2012 and 2016, analyzing the thematic content of the publications, and the influence on global health and development discourse through citation metrics. Findings and discussion Analysis of the 54 published papers showed 6 dominant themes related to the SDGs: the formulation process for the SDG health goal; the right to health; Universal Health Coverage; voices of marginalized peoples; global health governance; and the integration of health across the other SDGs. The papers combined advocacy---particularly for the right to health and its potential embodiment in Universal Health Coverage—with qualitative research and analysis of policy and stakeholders. Go4Health’s publications on the right to health, global health governance and the voices of marginalized peoples in relation to the SDGs represented a substantial proportion of papers published for these topics. Go4Health analysis of the right to health clarified its elements and their application to Universal Health Coverage, global health governance, financing the SDGs and access to medicines. Qualitative research identified correspondence between perceptions of marginalized peoples and right to health principles, and reluctance among multilateral organizations to explicitly represent the right to health in the goals, despite their acknowledgement of their importance. Citation metrics analysis confirmed an average of 5.5 citations per paper, with a field-weighted citation impact of 2.24 for the 43 peer reviewed publications. Citations in the academic literature and UN policy documents confirmed the impact of Go4Health on the global discourse around the SDGs, but within the Go4Health consortium there was also evidence of two epistemological frames of analysis—normative legal analysis and empirical research—that created productive synergies in unpacking the health SDG and the right to health. Conclusion The analysis offers clear evidence for the contribution of funded programmatic research—such as the Go4Health project—to the global health discourse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vannarath Te
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Australia.,National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Nadia Floden
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sameera Hussain
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Australia.,Canadian Society for International Health, Ottawa, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Claire E Brolan
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Australia.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Peter S Hill
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Tosun J. Polycentrism in Global Health Governance Scholarship Comment on "Four Challenges That Global Health Networks Face". Int J Health Policy Manag 2018; 7:78-80. [PMID: 29325406 PMCID: PMC5745871 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2017.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Drawing on an in-depth analysis of eight global health networks, a recent essay in this journal argued that global health networks face four challenges to their effectiveness: problem definition, positioning, coalition-building, and governance. While sharing the argument of the essay concerned, in this commentary, we argue that these analytical concepts can be used to explicate a concept that has implicitly been used in global health governance scholarship for quite a few years. While already prominent in the discussion of climate change governance, for instance, global health governance scholarship could make progress by looking at global health governance as being polycentric. Concisely, polycentric forms of governance mix scales, mechanisms, and actors. Drawing on the essay, we propose a polycentric approach to the study of global health governance that incorporates coalitionbuilding tactics, internal governance and global political priority as explanatory factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jale Tosun
- Institute of Political Science, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Hall W. Don't Discount Societal Value in Cost-Effectiveness Comment on "Priority Setting for Universal Health Coverage: We Need Evidence-Informed Deliberative Processes, Not Just More Evidence on Cost-Effectiveness". Int J Health Policy Manag 2017; 6:543-545. [PMID: 28949468 PMCID: PMC5582442 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2017.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
As healthcare resources become increasingly scarce due to growing demand and stagnating budgets, the need for effective priority setting and resource allocation will become ever more critical to providing sustainable care to patients. While societal values should certainly play a part in guiding these processes, the methodology used to capture these values need not necessarily be limited to multi-criterion decision analysis (MCDA)-based processes including 'evidence-informed deliberative processes.' However, if decision-makers intend to not only incorporates the values of the public they serve into decisions but have the decisions enacted as well, consideration should be given to more direct involvement of stakeholders. Based on the examples provided by Baltussen et al, MCDA-based processes like 'evidence-informed deliberative processes' could be one way of achieving this laudable goal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Hall
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
van de Pas R. Global Health in the Anthropocene: Moving Beyond Resilience and Capitalism Comment on "Health Promotion in an Age of Normative Equity and Rampant Inequality". Int J Health Policy Manag 2017; 6:481-486. [PMID: 28812849 PMCID: PMC5553218 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2016.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been much reflection on the need for a new understanding of global health and the urgency of a paradigm shift to address global health issues. A crucial question is whether this is still possible in current modes of global governance based on capitalist values. Four reflections are provided. (1) Ecological –centered values must become central in any future global health framework. (2) The objectives of ‘sustainability’ and ‘economic growth’ present a profound contradiction. (3) The resilience discourse maintains a gridlock in the functioning of the global health system. (4) The legitimacy of multi-stakeholder governance arrangements in global health requires urgent attention. A dual track approach is suggested. It must be aimed to transform capitalism into something better for global health while in parallel there is an urgent need to imagine a future and pathways to a different world order rooted in the principles of social justice, protecting the commons and a central role for the preservation of ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Remco van de Pas
- Department of Public Health, Unit of Health Policy, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|