Global Health

For over half a century, global health programming has saved lives.

For over half a century, global health programming has saved lives, protected people from emerging diseases, strengthened local health systems, and advanced the stability of communities around the world. For the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has reaffirmed the need for a global response—not only to uphold our commitment to protecting vulnerable communities but also to protect our economic and national security interests at home. Americans are safer when global health systems are stronger and more resilient.

Investing in global health will help to detect and prevent the next pandemic in our intensely globalized world. However, the pandemic and other global health crises do not exist on their own. As COVID-19 demonstrates, the impacts of health crises reverberate far beyond the individuals affected: education is disrupted, health systems are stretched, childhood vaccinations are missed, and gender-based violence increases. Investing in health systems and healthy communities saves lives and economies. As communities worldwide become less healthy and safe, democracy is eroded, health infrastructures’ ability to adapt to climate change is weakened, and economic stability is threatened.

Today, USAID and the State Department mobilize international actors to respond collectively to emerging global health threats. Focusing on three strategic priorities—preventing maternal and child death, controlling the AIDS/HIV epidemic, and combating infectious diseases—American foreign assistance has helped millions of women and children access essential health services, trained hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers, and identified and responded to thousands of viruses before mass outbreaks occur.

It is clearer than ever that the health of Americans is inextricably linked to the health of those around the world. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the West African Ebola virus epidemic, U.S. investment in global health is uniquely bipartisan. The time is now to leverage broad support for global health investments that serve the national security and economic interests of the United States.

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