Global Health Proposal The Medical Corps: Sustain Life

The U.S. can transform global health over the next fifteen years by investing in the creation of a Medical Corps composed of American doctors and nurses serving overseas to provide treatment, support local health centers, and combat disease. By engaging those with a spirit to serve, the Medical Corps can build a network of medical ambassadors around the world: saving lives, generating trust, goodwill, and both providing and gaining knowledge about how to reduce the impacts of disease on the most vulnerable populations – one community at a time. The Medical Corps can be for this generation the transformative opportunity the Peace Corps was over a generation ago.

A Vision and Mission for Health Outreach Good health depends on outreach, education, and access to skilled individuals, medicines and medical facilities. In many parts of the world, some or all of these are absent. A U.S. program, the Medical Corps, can provide opportunities and incentives for America’s doctors and nurses to bring their knowledge and skills to other countries. Such an effort could also increase the number of nurses in the U.S. – a critical component of America’s healthcare workforce. The proposal is simple: for current practicing doctors and nurses, a request to volunteer a year overseas to support or create a healthcare facility in non‐combat areas. For students considering a medical career, the U.S. government would provide tuition remission in return for the commitment to serve for a year abroad after completing their medical education and training, and a commitment to volunteer for another three or six months within seven years.

For the U.S. government, the commitment would be to organize the effort and invest in the provision of medicines, communications, and other supplies to ensure the operations of the healthcare facilities. It would also be incumbent upon the government to put into place agreements with other governments to ensure domestic support for the effort.

While abroad, Medical Corps volunteers would be expected to provide care and perform outreach and educational activities. The goal is to both supplement local medical staffs and to create greater community awareness of preventive measures to help reduce the incidence of disease. Through training and outreach – and with the right supplies – communities can develop and implement better health practices.

The Good We Can Do The potential benefits of the Medical Corps are extensive. Benefits extend to those abroad receiving care to policymakers here attempting to craft better policies. Below are some important benefits and synergies that can emerge:

•  Bridge Cultural Divides. Availability of care and medicine is not itself sufficient to improve global health. As the eradication of smallpox showed – and the ongoing efforts against polio demonstrate anew – cultural barriers can sometimes be the hardest ones to hurdle in the battle against disease. Knowledge of local conditions and cultural concerns is critical to an effective health strategy.

• Build Trust. Sustained commitment is essential to the creation of trust. Vaccine campaigns have stumbled recently over suspicion and rumors. Trusted relationships are the only reliable antidote to malicious gossip. This can come through the provision of good medical care. If the Medical Corps can develop solid reputations in their communities as health providers, other health initiatives become possible.

• Create Healthy Communities. All health is local. Effective strategies to improve health come through an understanding of local conditions and needs. Medical Corps personnel can help local communities develop health strategies and also provide resources through the Medical Corps program.

• Combat Disease. Disease detection is crucial for local and global health. There is no better way to detect disease than to have knowledgeable people on the ground. Medical Corps personnel can help develop epidemiological studies and serve as sentinels for disease outbreaks.

• Build Networks. Medical Corps personnel can build and sustain international networks. For many communities, simply having international contacts can help bring needed expertise and resources to bear during unusual or emergency situations.

One World
America’s doctors and nurses provide the most sophisticated medical care in the world. Yet time and again we are confronted with the reality that our medical advances are inadequate in the face of novel diseases. Against such threats, all are vulnerable. Effective responses require collective action enabled by goodwill and trust.

America has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership on an issue that touches every soul in the world. By reaching out and improving the health of others, the U.S. can demonstrate its recognition of how tightly woven the fabric of our shared destinies in fact is. Such a sustained commitment can then make all other forms of cooperation – and even peace – more possible.