Institute of Med (IOM): U.S. Commitment to Global Health - Recommendations for New Administration

[CC...Conrad Clyburn (Clymer Grp)]

Colleagues,

As just released by IOM...GLOBAL HEALTH SHOULD BE KEY COMPONENT OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY...The U.S. should significantly intensify its commitment to global health in the next four years by increasing funding and placing greater importance on health when setting overall U.S. foreign policy, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine written to inform the incoming administration's future policies. To achieve this level of commitment, a White House Interagency Committee on Global Health should be created early on in the new administration to coordinate U.S. global health activities. Improving health is the responsibility of the United States as a global leader, said the committee that wrote the report, and should be recognized as a goal with significant long-term diplomatic, economic, and security benefits for the U.S.

The White House Interagency Committee on Global Health -- should be composed of heads of major federal departments and agencies involved in global health -- and designate a senior White House official at the level of deputy assistant to the president to chair the Interagency Committee. The deputy assistant should serve as the primary White House adviser on setting U.S. global health policy and should work with the national security adviser, the director of management and budget, and the president's science adviser.

The report recommends that the U.S. strive to meet internationally acknowledged goals -- as well as respond to emerging health challenges not captured in the Millennium Development Goals -- by increasing annual global health assistance to $15 billion by 2012.

Read the report at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12506#toc

ENJOY!

CC