The Politics of Global Health Governance: United by Contagion

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Mark W. Zacher and Tania J. Keefe Published by Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2008 This new and important volume focuses on changes global health governance and the factors that have shaped the nature of governance. It examines governance strategies concerning the surveillance of infectious diseases, emergency medical controls over outbreaks, rules that inhibit the spread of diseases across borders, financial and material assistance to facilitate long-term health programs, and international legal reforms that promote improvements in access to health programs.

Global health governance was very weak from the birth of the International Sanitary Regulations in 1903 through the 1980s; however significant improvements have occurred since the 1990s. These improvements especially concern progress in disease surveillance and the growth of collaborative arrangements to increase funding for emergency and long-term programs.

The key factors that have been responsible for improvements in global health collaboration have been: (1) the emergence in new infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and SARS and the continued existence of well recognized diseases such as malaria and TB; (2) improvements in medicines and medical technologies; (3) an increase in governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental sources of funding; and (4) a marked increase in collaboration among diverse health institutions, particularly the establishment of public-private partnerships. One need only think of the growth of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and its cooperation with diverse institutions to appreciate the transformation in this aspect of global health governance. The multiplication of diverse health institutions and linkages among diverse organizations has been central to the revolution in global health governance. Also, it is important to recognize that perceptions of multiple effects on improved health on a wide range of values that have supported stronger global governance.

Comments by Global Health and Politics Experts

"A growing number of scholars now recognize the relevance of global health issues to the understanding and practice of international relations. This book adds to this growing body of work, applying liberal functionalist theory to the global governance of infectious disease outbreaks. As well as enriching the study of global health governance, the authors seek to draw important lessons for strengthening collective action in a rapidly changing world." - Kelley Lee, Head, Public and Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

"Human and microbial competition for a niche in a rapidly globalizing world is tackled by this multidisciplinary analysis of the politics of the global health governance. Informed by nineteenth century history when great pandemics swept across Europe and North America and aimed at our common future, this important book will help us understand how we must accelerate international cooperation to ensure health security for all."--Lincoln Chen, President of the China Medical Board of New York, and Research Associate and Founder, Global Equity Initiative, Harvard University

"This is an impressive and important book. It probes issues that are all too rarely investigated, and it does so incisively and thoroughly. As the analysis makes clear, the problems of global health are enormous and at the same time they are probed here clearly and fully. Readers are bound to feel enlightened and rewarded."--James N. Rosenau, University Professor of International Affairs, The George Washington University

"Using the lens of international relations and trends in infectious disease the authors take an in-depth look at past and current global health governance, and based on lessons learned they suggest ways of shaping the global health architecture in this era of interdependence. This book is essential reading for policy makers, practitioners and students interested in the emerging discipline of global health diplomacy which focuses on this nexus between international affairs and global health."-- Nick Drager, Director of the Department of Ethics, Equity, Trade and Human Rights at the World Health Organization

Table of contents: Overview and Analytical Framework* History and Evolution of Global Health Governance * Disease Containment: Surveillance Systems, Emergency Responses and Trans-border Regulations * Disease Control: The Transformation of Health Assistance Programs * Disease Cures: Legal Aspects of Essential Medicines * Conclusion and Analysis

Mark W. Zacher is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of British Columbia. He was Director of the Center of International Relations and is presently Research Associate in the Center.

Tania J. Keefe is Research Associate in the Centre of International Relations at the University of British Columbia