Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its first Global Health Strategy. The strategy serves as a blueprint for HHS' role in global health efforts and reflects its mission of managing and protecting Americans' health.
"In a world where the flow of people and goods stretch across the globe, our only chance to keep Americans safe is if the system for preventing, detecting and containing disease stretches across the globe also," Secretary Sebelius said in a speech at the Kaiser Family Foundation releasing the report. "We can no longer separate America's health from global health."
The Global Health Strategy outlines ways HHS can achieve its global health vision – a healthier and safer world – and in turn, protect and improve the health of Americans. The Global Health Strategy names three goals that assist in achieving this vision:
- using global health activities to advance and protect Americans' health;
- sharing America's scientific and technical expertise with other nations and international organizations; and
- working with other government agencies and non-governmental organizations to improve diplomacy efforts, national security, and international development.
Additionally, HHS lists 10 objectives that support these goals. These objectives are to: strengthen global efforts to monitor, identify and control diseases; prevent the spread of infectious diseases and other health threats across borders; develop and implement responses to international outbreaks and emergencies; improve the safety of international food and medical device manufacturing; strengthen international health standards; spur international research and development of new health products; share best practices; address new patterns of death and illness; support President Obama's Global Health initiative; and improve health diplomacy.
This long list of goals and objectives is derived from HHS' mission of improving and protecting the health and well being of Americans. While the goals are ways to achieve HHS' global health vision, the ultimate desire is to ensure that Americans are healthy and safe. HHS believes that the Global Health Strategy will lead to that result.
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