Could America Reap International Good Will By Ramping Up its Health Diplomacy Efforts?

Brian Klepper joins us again today with one of his welcome posts:

Reasserting Global Health Diplomacy

by Brian Klepper

A couple weeks ago the Washington Times ran a sensible and honorable article by Susan Blumenthal MD and Elise Schlissel at the Center for the Study of the Presidency (CSP) in DC, arguing that America could reap a huge benefit in good will by significantly ramping up its health diplomacy efforts.

Progress at improving health status in many developed and developing nations has been hindered by unrelenting epidemics of infectious disease and chronic illness, and by a lack of skills and tools plentiful here in the US. We have developed technologies and processes that can relieve suffering in unprecedented ways, but for decades we have not considered global health assistance nearly the priority that we have accorded other forms of diplomacy, like military intervention.

Dr. Blumenthal, a retired Rear Admiral in the US Public Health Service and Ms. Schlissel, a Princeton junior interning at CSP, call on us to put this wonderful asset to work on the global stage, to once again put our best foot forward in a more modern and humanitarian context, and by doing so, to shine a bright light on America’s best values. This is solid and refreshing advice, especially given the low esteem that has resulted from America's actions.