Submitted by Nicole Schiegg, USAID’s Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications
I recently traveled to Senegal, Ethiopia, and Mozambique to visit a wide range of global health programs supported by USAID and other U.S. Government Agencies including the Centers for Disease Control, Department of Defense, and the Peace Corps.
My colleague, Zeke Emanuel, from the White House Office of Management and Budget, blogged extensively during this two-week trip about President Obama’s Global Health Initiative. This whole-of-government effort encourages a more integrated approach to global health — building upon historic efforts under the Bush Administration through PEPFAR and PMI with a renewed focus on child and maternal health, TB and other diseases. It also strengthens health systems to ultimately save more lives.
Is funding for global health a never-ending waste of money in which billions are spent but nothing gets better? Or are we being selfish and grossly unethical, because we are unwilling to spend a few hundred dollars more per year in order to save a life of a poor person half way around the world?
These are tough questions, and Zeke addresses them in his first blog entry, now featured at The New Republic.
Just got the NRDC report on water, sanitation and the US. Very interesting and timely, after all these years. Need any help for formulating strategies? What happened to the excellent WASH programme from thirty years ago? Watery and sanitary greetings!
While I can understand the concerns of some regarding spending on Global Health Initiatives, it seems to me that it would be not only callous, but also unwise to cease these initiatives. Despite the economic downturn, the United States does possess resources and expertise not so readily available elsewhere. As a whole, we as American citizens are lucky to not have to deal with staggeringly high maternal mortality rates or those diseases we idealistically consider threats of the past (polio, TB). While imperfect, health care in the U.S. is available in some form or another and we may take for granted the advancements we have made.
Still viewed as one of the strongest, wealthiest nations in the world, the United States is looked to as a leader and as such leader we must be sure that our policies do not become so insular and uncaring that we isolate ourselves. Should the United States one day be in need of assistance, we want to assure that we have not bitten every hand. Therefore, while we must make it a priority to address national issues, we should also remain involved in these global health issues, as well as other issues that arise abroad.