By Lois Quam
Lois Quam is the executive director of the Global Health Initiative.
The Global Health Initiative (GHI), the Obama administration’s strategy to maximize the impact of U.S. investments in global health, aims to protect Americans, save millions of lives around the world and create strong nations. Our health agenda is taking on the hardest and most intractable challenges, including maternal and child mortality, HIV/AIDS and malaria.
This unified effort is driven by the combined leadership of key U.S. agencies and builds on current programs, such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), to deliver a focused, cost-effective and results-oriented program for enhancing global health. To achieve its goals, GHI also reaches beyond the health sector to areas that intersect with health, such as safe water, sanitation, health financing and education for girls.
In 2010, the United States made its first multiyear pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. GHI enables the United States to enhance the impact of its overall investment in global health by leveraging funds provided by other donors through entities such as the Global Fund. GHI also promotes smart integration among U.S.-supported disease-specific programs. For instance, under PEPFAR, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Centers for Disease Control, Peace Corps, and Department of Defense are jointly developing effective strategies to save the lives of mothers and infants during the crucial first 24 hours of labor and delivery, when more than two-thirds of maternal deaths and 50 percent of infant deaths occur.
GHI is rooted in seven core principles:
1. Focusing on woman, girls and gender equality.
2. Encouraging country ownership and investing in country-led plans.
3. Building sustainability through health systems strengthening.
4. Strengthening key multilateral organizations, global health partnerships and private-sector engagement, and leveraging resources of key stakeholders.
5. Increasing impact through strategic coordination and integration.
6. Improving metrics, monitoring and evaluation.
7. Promoting research and innovation.
U.S. health programs are aligning their efforts and strengthening the knowledge base on how these principles advance health goals.
Through GHI, the United States also seeks to achieve major improvements in health outcomes by reforming the way it supports countries in delivering health services. Strategies include working to increase the number and types of local partners, such as nonprofit organizations, private businesses, civil society, faith-based organizations and partner governments, and strengthening the capacity of partner countries to lead, manage and oversee health programs.
By partnering with nations willing to invest in the health of their people, GHI promotes country ownership and sustainable health outcomes. In concrete terms, this means ensuring that partner countries can plan, manage, oversee and finance a health program responsive to the needs of their people. For instance, as the South African government has demonstrated commitment by funding its national AIDS response at rapidly increasing levels, the United States has taken steps to integrate its vast network of prevention, treatment, care and health-system-strengthening activities into the broader strategic vision of the government of South Africa. This approach fosters collaboration with country partners to jointly identify and improve their health systems.
Through GHI, the United States is challenging the world and encouraging the private sector, multilateral institutions and other governments to increase their investments, while making sure that partner countries build self-sufficiency. By leveraging successful platforms, such as PEPFAR and PMI, and utilizing a coordinated, efficient and strategic approach, GHI will advance the U.S. commitment to save lives and make a significant difference in global health.
