The Effectiveness Of Municipal Governments in Global Health: Protecting the Right to Health
Ownership: The Road to Sustainability in Global Health
Have you thought about what worked and what didn’t in achieving the “Health” Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)? What countries have met the 2015 targets and which have not? What inequalities still remain within those countries that have met the MDGs? What else can be done to protect the right to health of current and future populations?
These are some of the questions global health experts are asking themselves now when the world has about 7.4 billion people. By the year 2030, the world will have 8.4 billion people and we must prepare to live and work in different ways to deliver quality healthcare to all.
I believe the main difference will be the role of local district and municipal governments who will be in the forefront of global health projects and programs. Global health projects and programs will be designed to sustainably empower municipal health leaders to consistently plan, fund and implement improvements at their local level through public and private health facilities and to create and sustain partnerships with civil society organizations. Here is what I predict we could build by 2030:
1. National health systems that oversee and assist local health systems to manage resources efficiently so they meet local health goals
2. National health programs that are based on up to date health policies and that are managed and monitored through an effective nationwide health information and surveillance system.
3. Local health systems that coordinate the management of healthcare programs in order to deliver continuous quality healthcare services
4. Public and private health facilities that meet accreditation criteria and that deliver quality healthcare services to the population in their respective area of coverage
5. Health providers will be trained in sufficient numbers by cadre based on a national human resource plan. New cadres of health providers beyond doctors and nurses will have been created to meet populations needs, particularly community health workers and care of chronic diseases such as AIDS and cancer
6. Training institutions will have up to date training programs, trained teachers, simulation rooms and digital libraries to effectively train professionals that meet international performance criteria
7. Donors will make five-year plans as part of the national health plan and coordinate and account for their contribution to ensure they contribute to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local municipal health systems in their respective geographic area of coverage
I believe we have the knowledge and the technology to save millions of lives now. We cannot make up excuses. We cannot fail meeting the 2030 global health goals. Let’s discuss effective system to improve global health so countries really have effective efficient health systems and achieve sustainable results. Join me in a teleconference to discuss “Sustainability: Getting Back to Basics in Global Health” on February 27, 2015 at 12:00noon, EST.
Please comment below or share your thoughts about Municipal Health Systems on our Facebook page, or on Linked-In.
Stay in touch with RGH through our weekly email updates, or our weekly video. Click below to sign up:
