Stream 4
Global Health & the “Big Guys:” International Health policy and development…
“The rich world dominates the training of Ph.D economists, and the students of rich-world Ph.D programs dominate the international institutions like the IMF and the World Bank, which have the lead in advising poor countries on how to break out of poverty. These economists are bright and motivated; I know, I have trained many of them. But do the institutions where they work think correctly about the problems of the countries in which they operate?
The answer is no.”
- Jeffrey Sachs
Much is made of global vs. grassroots approaches towards development as being polar opposites, both striving to address root causes of poverty. Many consider that development is primarily driven by the policies and politics of the "Big Guys", e.g. the insurmountable World Bank, the IMF, the UN, the WHO, the G8, emerging superpowers and the relentless influence of pharmaceutical companies.
This academic stream aims to address the roles and responsibilities of some of these large organisations and corporations, including the scandals and challenges which they are involved in. Delegates undertaking this stream will come away with an understanding of the influences surrounding economic disparities on a global, national and community level. Through four focused lectures and two workshops running simultaneously for the duration of the conference, globalization and the economic determinants of health will be introduced and scrutinised. The implications of international trade rules and regulations on the health of developing countries, and the way in which policy can be stacked in favour of rich countries and multinational corporations will be debated. Corporate Social Responsibility and its role in profiteering for the interests of global corporations vs. advancing social justice and minimizing environmental impacts will be debated.
Generic drugs and patent-circumventing legislation pertaining to medicines in the developing world will also be considered. There will be a particular emphasis on access to essential medicines for the key players in the infectious disease world - e.g. TB, malaria, HIV. Strategies to make essential medicines more accessible and affordable will be considered by delegates undertaking this stream. A systematic review of the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and the developing world will be made, including the actual contribution made by companies and how to incentivise them to become involved in developing and distributing drugs for poorer nations.
The economics of such an access gap within developing countries must be appreciated, including poorly resourced healthcare systems, the inadequate amount of research in developing countries, the financial burden of medicines in developing countries and the lack of political will for financing of public healthcare. This academic stream will feature as an integral, yet highly challenging and thought-provoking component to global health.
References:
Global Health Watch 2005-2006