Debate on Global Health Challenges

The global health agenda is facing significant challenges. The World Health Organisation (WHO)—the leading international body—is currently discussing the possible reform of this agenda and the direction it should take. The current set of targets related to the Millennium Development Goals are due to expire in 2015. Thus, while the agenda needs to maintain the current priorities in many areas where the targets have not been met, the debate on what should happen after 2015 has already begun. Despite significant progress over the last decade in the area of R&D, there is a great need to develop formulas and mechanisms for funding to ensure that new products—many of which are still in an embryonic stage of development—are made accessible to a large number of people, especially those in developing countries.

In this climate of change when a new global health agenda is under discussion, the ISGlobal Think Tank organised a working seminar to discuss these issues with key stakeholders. The meeting brought together many different actors: product development partnerships (PDPs), such as the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV); Public Private Partnerships (PPP), such as the GAVI Alliance; NGOs, such as Oxfam, Médicos Sin Fronteras, UNICEF and Médicos del Mundo; think tanks including The South Center, ODI, FRIDE and CIDOB; academics from universities such as Georgetown, Harvard and Bocconi, or from agencies like the Instituto de Salud Publica de México (the Mexican Institute of Public Health); and networks of civil society organisations in Africa (EQUINET), Europe (Global Health Action), and middle- and low-income countries in general (Third World Network).

The seminar took place in Barcelona on 13 and 14 September at the Palau Macaya and took the form of a debate divided into three sessions.

• Current problems and future challenges in global health governance, including redefining the role of the WHO.
• The growing interest in the role of health as a strategic issue in diplomatic negotiations that can be used to achieve other political, economic, and social goals.
• The new treaty on innovation and development drawn up by the WHO Expert Advisory Group on Research and Development to promote innovation and improve access to essential medicines, particularly for diseases that mainly affect developing countries.

Based on the discussions held during the seminar and the conclusions reached by the participants, ISGlobal is currently drawing up a document that will synthesise the conclusions and enumerate the principal challenges posed by global health. This seminar marked the launch of a plan to organise an annual meeting of global health experts in Barcelona.

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