| Reflections
from the 6th Trilateral Meeting by Academy of Health Centers
“Health
as an Instrument of Foreign Policy: Challenges for Academic
Centers”:
Source: Dean Afaf Meleis
Delegates from U.S., Canada, and U.K. met for a three-day
weekend to discuss ways of making health an effective tool
for Foreign Policy. The thoughtful presentations from the
three countries created vigorous dialogues about the role
of AHC in fostering a global dialogue on workforce issues,
in creating an agenda to influence foreign policy and in fostering
global education, practice and research in the health fields.
The delegates met in three work groups: education, research,
and service. We also met within our own country delegations.
The goals were to define an AHC-driven action plan by the
U.K., U.S. and Canada regarding foreign policies in education,
research and service as well as an action plan by each country.
The work groups generated action plan recommendations. Among
them (not in any particular order):
| 1. |
Develop concepts, competencies, and objectives
in global health to be integrated all through educational
curricula in the health fields. |
| 2. |
Establish incentives for faculty and students to participate
in global health. |
| 3. |
Encourage the development of scholarship for students,
“global caregivers”, to spend time to study
and work abroad. |
| 4. |
Develop a forum to share models of excellence and failure
in studying and implementing global health program. |
| 5. |
Empower developing countries in building their research
capacity. |
| 6. |
Develop and support collaborative partnerships to address
global health issues. |
| 7. |
Ensure the utilization of evidence-based practice and
support through foreign policy. |
| 8. |
Develop and support such infrastructures as information
technology to enlarge international partnerships and collaboration. |
| 9. |
Address and develop recommendations regarding workforce
issues, export and import of health professionals, develop
standards for quality education. |
| 10. |
Develop frameworks for rebuilding health care forces
internationally through training and better understanding
of health care systems. |
The U.S. delegation discussed ways by which we can influence
a friendlier foreign policy by using health initiatives. Preliminary
summary is:
| 1. |
Encourage institutions to create opportunities
for students to learn about, and to experience, global
health care. |
| 2. |
Develop mechanisms to institute national policies to
support scholarships, loan forgiveness mechanisms, incentives
for students participating in global health initiatives. |
| 3. |
Develop mechanisms to share existing AHC successful
and not-so-successful programs and frameworks related
to global health care. |
This is just a preliminary report reflecting my own summary
as a chair and participant in the sessions.
Being with leaders of AHC institutions and international
foundations and participating in the dialogue about globalization
and its place in our institution and in foreign policy affirmed
the global strategic goals that we have been pursuing in our
school and at the University of Pennsylvania. There will be
an edited book summarizing our meeting dialogues and recommendations.
April 5, 2004 |
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Reflections