What does global health equity mean to you?

To start day three of GPF21, this was the key question posed by Karabi Acharya, Senior Director of Global Learning, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Yolanda Ogbulu, Associate Professor at U of Maryland and Co-founder, Global Learning for Health Equity Network, acknowledged that the first step is simply to recognize it. Growing up in Baltimore in the 1970s, she walked by the university campus where she now works, and wondered why there was such a disparity between those working there and those living in her neighborhood just two blocks away. Having recognized the suboptimal educational and health outcomes in her own community, she now champions them, and works to retrain people, and dismantle structural inequities. For Agnes Binagwaho, who has built a University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, every individual in society does not need an equal share, but it is important to understand that necessity to share. “Equity does not mean equality.”

Everyone should get what they need—equitable access to quality care. This extends to education in the health sector, where Binagwaho’s university ensures equity in educational access so that the graduates are themselves committed to equitable care. It also should extend across borders. When it comes to global learning, Yolanda Ogbulu observed, that “If we have common health issues, might we have common solutions?” and Agnes Binagwaho reminded us all that when there are important health innovations and breakthroughs in vaccine development, “a life is a life no matter what country; if you have the knowledge to save a life, then please share it.”

Partnerships play a key role in making a more connected and just global health system. Christy Remey Chin, Interim CEO and Board Chair, Benetech, led a discussion with Dr. Judith Monroe, President and CEO, CDC Foundation that explored how leading health foundations can promote collaboration and innovation while fighting infectious and chronic diseases, planning for emergencies, and bridging equity gaps. In light of the recent, groundbreaking achievement of the world’s first malaria vaccine, Dr. Monroe and Remy Chin reflected on the history of collaboration in modern vaccination campaigns--from polio to COVID-19--to demonstrate the value of forming coalitions that bring private and public resources together. “Together,” Monroe said, “our impact is greater.”

The CDC Foundation has funded over 180 trusted community health organizations working to increase acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines and advance health equity--and this number keeps going up. A “silver lining” of the pandemic has been substantial changes to foundations’ internal and external programs to foster more diverse and inclusive environments: intentionally using equity as a lens through which to view strategy, data collection, and fundraising opportunities. “Vital systems that are so important to public health involve building trust with the community,” said Remey Chin. Monroe agreed: “Public health belongs to all of us.” 

Speakers and attendees had the opportunity to build connections in Speed Networking, before heading to Working Groups to explore the next generation of philanthropy--from trends in the wealth sector, to data sovereignty and healthcare solutions engineered by Native-led advocacy organizations and leaders. The next generation of donors is focused on what hasn’t worked in the past, and is seeking strategic opportunities to support inclusive and sustainable change.

For UNICEF, one of the most cherished social welfare agencies in the world, global health equity means putting the next generation first. Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, spoke with World Affairs trustee and DLA Piper partner Dean Fealk about children as an investment in our future--and why funding critical health ecosystems with speed and scale is necessary to address global emergencies.

While children may not be the face of the pandemic, they risk being among its greatest victims.

How did UNICEF, which works in 192 countries, respond to the pandemic and what was learned? Henrietta Fore reminded us again that success is closely correlated with trust. “UNICEF’s system was in place to respond quickly, but we must train community health workers in therapeutics, diagnostics, and more, because you need a trusted voice in the village to say ‘you need to get your vaccine."

COVID-19 showed how a pathogen makes a difference to all of us. Some solutions will be global, like a vaccine, and some will be local, like sustainable fisheries management. Fore concluded with a call to action, “we need every kind of expertise and knowledge and there is great opportunity to collaborate – philanthropists, this is your time.”

What are the key lessons we’ve learned from COVID-19 that can help us to better manage – and prevent – future outbreaks? Mark Smolinski, President, Ending Pandemics, targeted at least three:

• MERS, SARS, HIV and COVID-19 are all diseases that jump from animals to humans.
• Speed of detection matters; every moment counts.
• Like the real estate mantra about “location,” pandemic experts should adopt the mantra, “communication, communication, communication” about what you know and don’t know.

Stopping pandemics before they start requires working with local healthcare workers, pharmacists and schools to speed detection and response. If you’d like to learn about the five priority actions that will end pandemics, the Stanford Social Innovation Review will publish a November article on the topic. But here’s a sneak peek:

1. Engage community.
2. Apply a “One Health” approach that considers animal, human and environmental health.
3. Expand epidemic intelligence into local contexts where data can be shared.
4. Bring regional networks together to collaborate globally.
5. Measure progress – metrics help countries monitor management over time.

Samantha Power, USAID Administrator closed out GPF 2021 with a call for greater collaboration. It will take cross-sector partnerships to prevent the next pandemic, but Power believes philanthropists play a critical role; they can move quickly. For example, philanthropists led the way in scouting pharmaceutical companies to work on a COVID-19 vaccine. The global challenges we face are mounting and interrelated. No sector can tackle them alone, and USAID wants to work with the philanthropic sector. So, reach out with your comparative advantage or around a problem set, to see what we can do together. It takes us all.