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13. Addressing Global Health Disparities

Promoting Health Equity as a Global Priority​

Significant health disparities persist both within and between countries, with marginalized and low-income populations consistently experiencing poorer health outcomes, lower life expectancy, and greater vulnerability to disease. These disparities are driven by complex social, economic, and environmental factors—often referred to as the social determinants of health—including poverty, lack of education, inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, poor nutrition, discrimination, and weak health systems. Addressing global health disparities is a matter of social justice and essential for achieving sustainable development and global health security.

Our platform advocates for a U.S. foreign policy and development agenda that explicitly prioritizes health equity. We must support international efforts to tackle the root causes of health disparities and ensure that health programs and resources reach the most vulnerable populations.

Key Strategies for Addressing Global Health Disparities:​

  1. Focus Development Assistance on Health Equity:

    • Target U.S. global health assistance (through USAID, PEPFAR, Global Fund contributions, etc.) towards strengthening primary healthcare systems and reaching underserved populations, including women, children, rural communities, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
    • Support programs that address the specific health needs of marginalized groups.

  2. Address Social Determinants of Health:

    • Integrate health considerations into broader development programs focused on poverty reduction, education, food security, water and sanitation, gender equality, and climate resilience, recognizing that these factors profoundly impact health outcomes.
    • Support multi-sectoral approaches that tackle the underlying social and economic drivers of poor health.

  3. Strengthen Health Systems in Low-Resource Settings:

    • Invest in building resilient and equitable health systems in developing countries, focusing on primary care, community health workers, essential medicines and diagnostics, health workforce development, and health information systems. (See section 6.8 Health).
    • Support efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure financial protection and access to essential services for all.

  4. Promote Equitable Access to Health Technologies:

    • Support global mechanisms and policies that promote equitable access to essential medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics, particularly for diseases disproportionately affecting low-income countries. (See section 4.8 Intellectual Property).
    • Advocate for fair pricing and support technology transfer where appropriate.

  5. Improve Data Collection on Health Disparities:

    • Support international efforts to improve the collection and analysis of health data disaggregated by income, gender, ethnicity, geography, and other equity markers to better understand and target health disparities.

  6. Combat Discrimination in Healthcare:

    • Support programs and advocate for policies globally that combat stigma and discrimination within healthcare settings based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, health status (e.g., HIV), or other factors.

Conclusion:​

Reducing global health disparities is essential for achieving health equity and advancing human dignity worldwide. By targeting health assistance towards the most vulnerable, addressing the social determinants of health, strengthening health systems, promoting equitable access to technologies, improving data, and combating discrimination, the United States can lead global efforts to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to attain the highest possible standard of health, regardless of who they are or where they live.