Health System Info

Throughout the history, globalization has become part of our life. Starting from the time humans realize the need to cooperate and collaborate with others from countries all around the world, they would sit together discussing ways to improve important things, in an international level, or in a simpler way to say, to seek ways for a worldwide improvement.

Of course, this includes the aspects of health.

Global health refers to the health of populations in a global context and transcends the perspectives and concerns of individual nations. [1]

Among important international health agencies established with the mission of improving global health are World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, World Food Programme and World Bank.

Some points learnt from the history:

1. Economic Recession (1970s)
   - There was a petrol crisis in 1970s, resulting in economic recession.
   - World Bank, IMF & US Treasury came out with 'The Washington Consensus'
   - :: drastic cuts in public spending (including health) to reduce inflation & public debt
   - :: privatization in all sectors
   - :: decentralization
   
2. Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) [2]
   - The first international declaration underlining the importance of primary health care.
   - Points out the 'Health for All' principle, which seems to be more like a socialists aim.
   - Cons: Estimated costs were too high!
   - Challenged by the World Bank, USAID, UNICEF, Rockefeller and Ford Foundation.
   - Propose: fight limited number of diseases by concentrating on specific cost-effective interventions.
   - UNICEF then came out with Children's Revolution.
3. The Revolution for Children(1982) [3]
   - Remember the 4 revolutionary measures, the GOBI!
   - (G) Growth monitoring of young children
   - (O) Oral rehydration therapy
   - (B) Breast-feeding promotion
   - (I) Immunization
   - This 4 (GOBI) have potential combined impact on children's health in the developing countries.
   - Low implementation costs, simple technology involved, and almost universal relevance.
   
4. Millennium Development Goals (2000)
   - 8 goals international development goals.
   - Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
   - Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
   - Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
   - Goal 4: Reduce child mortality rate
   - Goal 5: Improve maternal health
   - Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
   - Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
   - Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
   - Agreed to be achieved by 2015, by all 192 UN member states & at least 23 international organizations.
   - Officially established at the Millennium Summit.
   - Promoted in United Nations Millennium Declaration.
   
5. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (present)
   - Founded by Bill Gates (currently he's the richest man in the world!)
   - He's the founder of Microsoft Corp, so basically, he's a technologist.
   - Being a technologist, he helps by providing technological fix for global health.
   - Their program harnesses advances in science & technology to save lives in poor countries.
   - Also the largest charitable donor of the 20th century.
   

Knowledge is power.
and He is the Most Powerful, for He knows everything :)

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References:

1. The World Health Organization and the Transition From "International" to "Global" Public Health. Brown et al., AJPH: Jan 2006, Vol 96, No 1.
2. WHO - Alma Ata Declaration
3. Notes about Children's Revolution