The American Faith Community’s Contributions to Global Health
The Global Health Policy Center hosted a presentation highlighting the contributions faith-based-organizations make to global health including the fight against HIV/AIDS in particular.
Blog — Infectious Disease
The Strategic Power of Vaccines
The second CSIS High-Level Forum on U.S. Leadership in Global Health placed a focus on vaccines as instruments of U.S. global leadership in pursuit of security and economic interests at home and abroad, in close enduring partnerships with corporations, foundations, multilateral organizations, and other countries.
Emerging Practices in Global Health Cooperation
On December 6, 2011 the CSIS Global Health Policy Center hosted a half-day seminar focused on the activities, practices, and strategies that characterize the global health outreach of Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa, or the BRICS.
Extended Trailer: The Strategic Power of Vaccines in Zambia
In November 2011, a team from CSIS traveled to Zambia to produce a video on vaccination efforts - their value, their long-term sustainability, and the challenges to their implementation. The video aims to portray the complexities of immunization in Zambia and to make broader points about global immunization efforts. This five minute trailer is a preview of what we saw. Please stay tuned for the full video in early 2012.
The Obstacles to Eradicating Malaria
While there are numerous reasons to be optimistic about the future of malaria control efforts, there are also several challenges that stand in the way of eradication.
The Politics of the HPV Vaccine Debate
While all of there are several reasons why the HPV vaccine is not gaining widespread popular support, I believe that America’s highly partisan political environment and the upcoming Republican primary are reshaping the HPV vaccine debate. Instead of hearing about Gardasil as a life-saving vaccine, we are hearing arguments that mirror the platforms of our Republican presidential nominees: we don’t want government interfering in our lives.
Reflections on the U.S.-South African HIV/AIDS Relationship
The story of US engagement in South Africa to battle HIV/AIDS over the past decade is one of strategic choice, sustained commitment, and significant human impact, matched by recent strong action by the South African government to assert its leadership in reversing the course of its AIDS epidemic. The story unfolding today is of a delicate, complex transition in lead responsibilities – from the United States to South Africa -- that is highly fraught with risks. Several colleagues from CSIS visited South Africa in August to examine this change
Vaccination Campaigns Emerge as Priority in Famine Stricken Somalia
While most health-related news coverage on Somalia is linked to famine, cholera, and measles, mass vaccination campaigns are occurring throughout the country to ward against other infectious diseases. One disease officials are concerned about is polio. Though eradicated from Somalia in 2008, officials worry that mass migration could cause a reemergence of the virus.
Transactional Sex: Women, Poverty and AIDS
Transactional sex, sexual intercourse driven by material exchanges, is quite common in sub-Saharan Africa. Transactional sex due to poverty dramatically increases the risk of HIV infection, which further debilitates women’s economic prospect. In addition to the existing HIV/AIDS interventions such as behavioral change, contraceptive promotion, and ARV treatments, a renewed focus on economic empowerment is necessary.
South Africa and Tuberculosis
In August 2011, the CSIS Global Health Policy Center will be traveling to South Africa to look at the major efforts underway to renew United States' bilateral relationship with South Africa. In lead up to the trip, we are publishing four articles summarizing the significant health challenges facing the country: HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Maternal and Child Health, and Noncommunicable Diseases. This piece on TB briefly depicts what the situation looks like in South Africa and how a growing TB epidemic is further affecting the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The Continued Life of a Dead Virus
In the complex world of global pandemic control, smallpox is the foremost medical success story, the only human disease ever eliminated from the natural world. For public health officials, smallpox’s 1977 eradication has become an inspirational touchstone for the elimination of other diseases such as polio, guinea worm disease, measles, and malaria. Yet the continued existence of live smallpox samples is the subject of intense debate and demonstrates that global health issues are neither isolated from political and security concerns nor can always be resolved quickly or easily.
South Africa and HIV/AIDS
In August 2011, the CSIS Global Health Policy Center will be traveling to South Africa to look at the major efforts underway to renew United States' bilateral relationship with South Africa. In lead up to the trip, we are publishing four articles summarizing the significant health challenges facing the country: HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Maternal and Child Health, and Noncommunicable Diseases. This piece on HIV/AIDS briefly depicts what the HIV/AIDS situation looks like in South Africa and what the government is doing to combat the challenge.
Political Tensions Threaten HIV Programs in Malawi
The growing political and economic crisis in Malawi, highlighted by the government’s use of force against peaceful demonstrators last week, could also imperil the groundbreaking expansion of Malawi’s national HIV/AIDS program.
Launch of CSIS Report on DoD Overseas Research Laboratories
On June 28th, the CSIS Global Health Policy Center released the final report of its project on the Defense Department’s overseas medical research laboratories, which are important U.S. assets at the intersection of health and security.
A Conversation with Ambassador Eric Goosby
On June 28th, the Global Health Policy Center at CSIS hosted Ambassador Eric Goosby for a conversation on “HIV/AIDS in 2011: The Global Outlook and America’s Role.” As the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and a pioneer in the HIV/AIDS response, few can speak as clearly about the U.S. involvement in HIV/AIDS as Ambassador Goosby.
GAVI Going Forward
The “GAVI Going Forward” event, hosted jointly on June 27 by CSIS and the Center for Global Development (CGD), looked at how GAVI can mitigate its weaknesses and leverage its strengths to save and improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children.
Lisa Carty of CSIS and Amanda Glassman of CGD moderated a panel discussion featuring Amie Batson, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Global Health; Joelle Tanguy, Managing Director of External Relations for GAVI; Nicole Bates, Senior Program Officer for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Claire Moran, Development Counselor at the British Embassy.
Report: The Defense Department’s Enduring Contributions to Global Health
In the spring of 2010, CSIS launched a year-long, independent examination of the U.S. Army and Navy overseas medical research laboratories. The impetus was an awareness that despite the laboratories’ impressive scientific accomplishments and contributions to U.S. national interests and global health, they are not well understood outside of research circles and consequently find themselves undervalued in today’s environment of fiscal austerity. They stand at the intersection of health and security, a topic of increased importance to U.S. approaches to global health.
The CSIS project aimed to assess the laboratories’ contributions and achievements; examine the factors that constrain their performance; and propose reforms that will put them on the best course to continued success
Report: Leveraging the World Health Organization’s Core Strenghts
On the question of whether WHO has value to U.S. global health policy and U.S. national interests, the answer, in the opinion of the authors of this paper, is decidedly yes—provided that WHO narrows its focus strategically to those activities for which it is best suited and for which it has the greatest prospects of delivering substantial value.
Disease Early Warning Systems - Key Aspects of the 2010 Pakistan Flood Response
The 2010 floods were by far the worst natural disaster in Pakistan’s history. Flooding of almost biblical proportions ultimately affected more than 20 million people and covered one-fifth of the country’s territory. However due to coordinated emergency reponse, the international community avoided a large-scale disease outbreak in Pakistan in 2010.
Achievements to Celebrate this World Malaria Day
Malaria kills 800,000 people around the world every year. Of this number, 90% of fatalities occur in sub-Saharan Africa and a substantial majority of these deaths are children under the age of five. While these numbers appear stark, there are many achievements to celebrate on this World Malaria Day.
Get Involved
The Global Health Policy Center wants your input.
Blog
- Protection of Health Care in Armed and Civil Conflict
Assaults on hospitals and medical personnel have long been part of the landscape of armed and civil conflict. In the past year, though, various international actions may better protect health services. - The American Faith Community’s Contributions to Global Health
The Global Health Policy Center hosted a presentation highlighting the contributions faith-based-organizations make to global health including the fight against HIV/AIDS. - Polio Eradication in India
India's inspiring polio eradication will depend ultimately on how the country's health leaders consolidate their victory & how they embed the institutional sources into the country’s remarkably diverse health system. - Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: What It Is, Why It’s Here, And How We Should Respond
The recent outbreak of the so-called totally-drug-resistant tuberculosis (TDR-TB) in India raises serious international health concerns. - The End of AIDS?
Watch J. Stephen Morrison, Director of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, discuss the "end of aids" and the 2012 global AIDS conference - Report: Terra Nova: How to Achieve a Successful PEPFAR Transition in South Africa
A period of major change is unfolding in health and HIV services in South Africa, carrying opportunities and risks. This report finds that the United States can find feasible, flexible ways to support this process. - Report: Role(s) of Vaccines and Immunization Programs in Global Disease Prevention
This report focuses on the “nuts and bolts” of the complex biological, epidemiologic, and risk management concepts for currently available childhood vaccines.
Podcast
- Interview with Kay Warren of Saddleback Church on the American Faith Community and HIV/AIDS Efforts
- Interview with Ken Hackett of Catholic Relief Services on the Faith Community’s and Global Health
- Interview with Dr. Winston Yu of the World Bank and Johns Hopkins University
- Interview with Chris Holmes of USAID on Global Water Challenges
- Interview with Dr. Jon Andrus of PAHO on Non-Communicable Diseases in the Western Hemisphere