On 18 September the US government published the America First Global Health Strategy. The document says global health should advance American safety, prosperity and influence. It also criticises current programmes as "inefficient and wasteful" and says they created a culture of dependency.
The strategy will focus on stopping infectious outbreaks before they reach US soil, strengthening bilateral ties, and promoting American health innovation. It asks low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to co-invest and meet performance benchmarks before some funds are released. Experts say these conditions could be punitive if countries cannot raise domestic spending.
The article notes PEPFAR has saved more than 26 million lives since 2003, and private donors gave US$110 million to keep projects running after earlier funding problems.
Difficult words
- strategy — a plan to achieve a goal.health strategy
- government — the group that makes rules for a country.
- affect — to change or influence something.
- funding — money provided for a project or program.
- dependency — reliance on something else for support.
- partnerships — working together with others for a common goal.new partnerships
- progress — forward movement towards a goal or better state.health progress
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why is continued funding important for low-income countries?
- What are the risks of dependency on US aid?
- How can partnerships be beneficial in health strategies?
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