Health for All:
Taking a Tour of Global Health
Note, image above: Cover of brochure from the Geneva-based NGO Forum for Health, a coaliton of 25+ organisations dedicated to making health for all a reality. One of its many contributions is through the Mental Health and Psychosocial Working Group.
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Let’s take a fascinating tour of GH via Global Health TV. Below you will find seven short video reports on a variety of
global health issues/organisations in a variety of coutries/settings.
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1. They help us stay informed about important global (health) issues and innovations
(e.g., health disparities).
2. Some of the resources mentioned can inform and equip our member care
work (e.g., psychological first aid).
3.We can also learn from the types of approaches to heath that are being
developed (e.g., e-health).
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We start in
Geneva at the 64th World Health Assembly (2011). “The term
"global health diplomacy" aims to capture the system and the method
for reaching compromise and consensus in matters pertaining to health in the
crowded global arena. Global Health TV reports from the World Health Assembly.”
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Next we head to
San Francisco, California. “Global Health Sciences at the University of
California, San Francisco (UCSF) strive to address the poverty, health
disparities and the scourge of chronic diseases and pandemics in developing
nations’ communities.” One of their projects is featured, in Tanzania.
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Off now to
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Global Health (CGH) highlighting
their work in Uganda, South Africa, and Haiti. “In 2006 the CGH was established
to build upon MGH's long and distinguished history of international work and
humanitarian assistance.”
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Kenya and Asia are
the sites in this video about the World Bank Institute's Health System Practice
(WBIHS). WBIHS forms partnerships for “capacity building products including
structured learning through courses, knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer problem
solving, coalition building and partnerships to scale-up impact.”
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Addressing
Global Mental Health Needs (Humanitarian/Settings) Moving now into the realm of humanitarian emergencies, Inka
Weissbecker addresses mental health needs in such settings, most of which are
not understood or neglected. She is with the International Medical Corps. Note: here are
links to some of the resources she mentions: Psychological
First Aid: Guide for Field Workers, IASC
Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.
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This video takes
us to Columbia University in the USA and one of their programs they support in
Nigeria, the New Creation Empowerment Centre. “The International Center for
AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) at Columbia University's Mailman School
of Public Health supports high-quality, HIV-related activities around the
world. ICAP works with host countries and other organizations, principally in
sub-Saharan Africa, to build capacity for family-focused HIV/AIDS prevention,
care, and treatment programs.”
Our final destination
takes us to Afghanistan to look at how the internet and telecommunications are increasing
access to quality health care. The focus is on the work of the Aga Khan Development
Network.
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Going Further
**Review the new article in the 16 May 2012 issue of the
Journal of the American Medical Association,
A Framework Convention on Global
Health: Health for All Justice for All by Lawrence Gostin.
If you get a bit lost (in spite of how well-written it is) don’t fret,
since there are probably several new terms, organisations, ideas, and issues
that you will come across and which are all part of becoming more conversant with
GH. Why read this article? Because GH needs to inform our thinking and work in
MC.
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Reflection and Discussion
**Which of the GH videos interested you the most?
**What are some resources and ideas that you can use
for your work in member care?
