Health and Unity
2.01.2017
Unity is simply defined as the state of being united or joined as one, usually towards achieving a common goal. It is a crucial feature for every venture in order to achieve set goals and objectives. Words like teamwork, group, affiliation, alliance, association, partnership, and collaboration buttress unity. Most times, nothing can succeed without unity because in its absence, disorientation and disorganization are not lacking. Be in it in our homes, schools, workplaces, churches, and the world at large, unity is essential to peace, progress and good health.
Given the relevance of unity, organizations such as United Nations (UN), World Health Organization (WHO), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), Universal Postal Union (UPU) and so much more exist. These organizations attempt to bring oneness and unity to our world today in various areas of life including social, health and economy. As huge and diverse as the world is, we are somehow connected through the internet, business, transportation… and this connection makes us vulnerable to one another by promoting the rapid transfer of health risks internationally. Many health issues are global in nature in that they transcend the boundaries and borders of countries… affecting continents and the world at large. In response to these global issues such as HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, climate change and health equality, solidarity is needed to help countries tackle health problems. Unity increases strength and empowers less developed countries through the assistance of more developed ones and large international donors.
The need for oneness and centralization in health provision is not new. The global community reached an agreement on the importance of providing holistic sexual and reproductive health services as far back as 1994. Increased unity is naturally beneficial because it increases coverage and access at lower cost as well as improves the quality of care and acceptance for stigma. Current priorities for Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) include sexual transmission of HIV, violence against women and girls, punitive laws and human rights and youth empowerment. These factors mostly affect developing countries and have spurred an increase in the number of global health initiatives (GHIs).
For almost two decades, the appearance of several disease-specific GHIs has modified the way international donors provide assistance for global health. WHO’s collaborative group on maximizing positive synergies reviewed and analyzed existing data, and 15 studies and described the complex nature of the interaction between country health systems and GHIs. Sometimes, the health systems and structures of individual countries do not align or integrate with GHIs, causing misunderstandings and frictions between countries and donors on the global scale. They concluded however, that if the necessary adjustments to the interactions between countries’ health systems and GHI are made by fostering unity, it will improve efficiency, equity, value for money, and outcomes in global public health. Hence, health systems and GHIs can complement each other and work together in order to mutually and positively strengthen global health.