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Articles by Katri Bertram
Global health architecture reform must be anchored in UHC
As a new UHC Knowledge Hub is launched in Japan ahead of international UHC Day, global health reform initiatives should align behind UHC as a country-led, sustainable global health model if they want to stay relevant. Momentum for global health reform is at a peak.
An Advocate’s Dilemma: Defending Official Development Assistance or Reducing Aid Dependency? [Guest Essay]
Hi, The ongoing tumultuous changes in the international aid sector has set off deep soul searching among those in the field, not only in the communities affected by abrupt policy shifts, but also in organizations and intermediaries who work in the aid supply chain. Today’s guest essay by Katri Bertram, an aid expert, lays out the predicament in striking clarity and discusses in plain terms, the choices facing aid professionals. Thank you for reading.
Simplifying the universal health coverage narrative can help to achieve political action
Katri Bertram, founder1, Justin Koonin, distinguished fellow2 1Partners for Impact 2George Institute for Global Health The narrative on universal health coverage should be centred around four core elements: universality, equity, adequate financing, and preparedness in public health emergencies, write Katri Bertram and Justin Koonin Universal health coverage means that “all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without...
History repeats itself - if we don’t act to change its course
In global health, we don’t just observe what happens: we work to improve the health of people and populations. Based on scientific evidence and history, we know that viruses don’t stop at borders. If we don’t work to prevent disease, we know that infections and chronic conditions run rampant. If we don’t have strong health and social systems and invest in our health workforce, we know that the best products remain inaccessible to most of the world’s people.
A historic, landmark victory for multilateralism?
featured article A historic, landmark victory for multilateralism? If you followed last week’s 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) – the WHO’s governing body composed of its 194 member states – through press release headlines, it was a historic success. WHO’s Director-General Dr. Tedros closed the week by stating WHA77 had been a “victory for multilateralism”. “Landmark” resolutions were passed on climate and health, social participation, mental health, and AMR, among others.
The good, the bad, and the ugly - Book review of Tim Schwab’s ‘The Bill Gates Problem’
If there’s one part of Tim Schwab’s “reckoning with the myth of the good billionaire” (the book’s subtitle) you read, make it the conclusion. Schwab asks some fundamental questions on these final pages: Should one person, “any person – no matter how benevolent or well intentioned” have obscene amounts of wealth and extreme power? Is our only hope “that our billionaires are good billionaires”? Why does Bill Gates appear to be unaccountable, unimpeachable?
The global health community must prevent the erosion of human rights in healthcare
Rajat Khosla, director1, Katri Bertram, senior global health consultant2 1United Nations University International Institute on Global Health 2Partners for Impact Twitter: @khosla_rajat Bluesky: @katribertram.bsky.social As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 75 this month, we must urgently reclaim the human rights narrative in global health and defend civic space, argue Rajat Khosla and Katri Bertram “If access to healthcare is considered a human right, who is considered human...
Single-issue advocacy in global health: Possibilities and perils
How do we deal these perils of single-issue advocacy? There are no easy solutions, but we can advocate for universal health coverage (UHC), stronger health systems, and greater investments in issues that affect health outcomes overall, in addition to advocating for whatever we are most passionate about. UHC is the one thing that grows the pie and unites us all, regardless of which area or population group we care about.
We need a universally endorsed definition of a pandemic for the Pandemic Accord to be effective
Noor Shakfeh, policy and health strategist1, Fifa A Rahman, civil society representative2, Katri Bertram, founding partner3 1Washington, DC, USA 2ACT-Accelerator 3Partners for Impact (PFI) Twitter: @NShakfeh @FifaRahman @KatriBertram For the Pandemic Accord to be effective, member states must urgently focus negotiations to define its scope, including its definition of “pandemic,” and ensure the definition avoids the pitfalls of past mistakes, argue Noor Shakfeh, Fifa Rahman, and Katri Bertram...
Global health security and universal health coverage: from fragmented aspirations to ambitious commitments
News & Views Global health security...
Impact - Can we justify our actions and investments in global health?
In this fourth article in a series unpacking my personal 2023 global health manifesto, I explore my fourth and final goal: impact. In the next part of this series, I will unpack values that are key to achieving these goals, in a way that tries to avoid doing harm. Common impact narrative In global health, there are non-profit and for-profit stakeholders. What we all share is our common narrative that we have an impact – on saving lives, protecting people, and making people healthy.
Opinion: 5 buzzwords global health should sunset in 2023
A global health communications director I worked with earlier in my career once summarized how buzzwords are used in global health, while she was drafting a press release. “Blah blah blah, blah blah blah,” she said to me while typing about the launch of a new global health initiative. Many years later, I’ve learned to recognize global health buzzwords immediately when I see them. I’ve used many buzzwords in various work roles myself. And I have seen how they are born and die.
Disruption is necessary to deliver our mission in global health
10 years ago, as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were coming to an end and millions of people were participating in consultations to develop the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global health colleague sent me a link to the IHP newsletter with a message “this is good stuff, read this.” I’ve since followed the newsletter to try to keep abreast of a global health sector that has gone from MDG-oversimplistic (all targets and indicators fit on one page!) to mind-blowingly-complex.
Why (and when) strategy matters - a global health perspective
A strategy defines goals, and how organisations get from now and here to achieving their aims. Why do most organisations fail miserably on strategy – and their goals? A perspective based on my experience working in global health. I confess that I have a love-hate-relationship with strategies. Every time I begin a new global health project or job, I ask my manager whether I can read the strategy, so that I know what I am working towards – and how.
Astroturfing in global health - why this is a serious problem (for me)
I believe that nearly every person I have met working in the global health sector has joined this sector because they want to save lives, and improve the health of all people.
Global Health Researchers and Journalists - You Matter
Over the past year during the Covid19 pandemic (and perhaps over several decades), many global health experts / researchers have been tearing their hair out. „This pandemic could have been prevented“, „these deaths were prevtable“, and a lot of „we told you so“ (look at commission x, y, z, or paper a, b, c) have been common statements. But not everyone has resorted to (public) despair.
World health summit to showcase collaboration for better health
A month after world leaders met at the UN General Assembly to recommit to financing for universal health coverage, the global health community gathers in Berlin for the World Health Summit.
Diversity in international development partnerships - a long way to go
In this blog we discuss the importance of increasing diversity in international development partnerships. We share some insights from research and best practices. Key lessons are summarised at the end of this blog. International development partnerships are still primarily high-income, and led by white men Diversity has been proven to increase innovation, a focus on facts, and also profitability.
Global health - the need for a moral compass
As those of you who have been following this blog for a while will know, I’ve been thinking a lot about responsibility and the way our global health and development sector works. What is our responsibility as a sector? What responsibilities do leaders and individuals have? Are we trying our best to achieve impact, also in the best way possible that does not sacrifice the physical and mental health of our staff as a price?
Creative Communications - how we can better reach, emotionalise and engage people
I’ve often been called a nerd. Not in a mean way (at least that’s not how I’ve perceived it!), but frequently enough. I used to sit in the front row in school and university, because that’s where I could see and hear the teaching best. I read obsessively. Interesting facts are for me what is buried in some report, and I get super excited when I find something that seems relevant in a newspaper.
Thought leadership suffers from insider-outsider divide in global health
Having studied political sciences and governance, I have always been interested in power. Where are decisions made, who holds veto powers, who has influence? I have worked in global health and development for over 15 years, and what increasingly bothers me is how divided our community is. There is a small group of „insiders“ who hold immense power over policy-making, funding, and the overall institutional set-up of global health.
Back to Balance - Work, life, joy, and impact
Ten days offline is a long time these days. Sadly, not much seems to have changed during this time in the world of Covid19 and crisis. My social media feeds look as bleak as they did ten days ago, if not more so. Ten days off with my four children also felt like a long time. Most parents – and especially single parents – will know what I mean when I say that work-life balance isn’t always only rosey on that side called “life”, sometimes the “work” part is what feels easier and more relaxing.
Location, location - Berlin’s not quite where it needs to be on global health
When I returned to Berlin/Germany from Washington DC, I was quite intrigued to see whether all the hype about Berlin becoming a new global health hub had any substance to it. This was before the corona crisis hit. Covid19 has had an interesting effect on Berlin. On the one hand, there has been an immense focus on Germany as a leader in global health (and some questioning whether that is indeed the case to the degree proclaimed).
Where does our responsibility in global health end?
Our global health-centric world Global health is full of grand statements.
Imagined and real communities - power, privilege and past
When Ngozi Erondu, Madhu Pai and I wrote co-wrote an article on exclusion and privilege in global health, published a day after the death of George Floyd, I expected quite some push-back. I was not surprised to see so much support for one of the two central arguments of the article: exclusion in global health is still very much the norm.
Real diversity and inclusion in global health
A few years ago, I was having dinner during the UN General Assembly with an inspiring global health colleague who is not afraid to speak his mind, and has a lot of experience and great lessons to share. I was feeling quite constrained in my job intellectually, and realized I was craving for some new thinking and thought leadership in global health.
Silenced Voices in Global Health
Over the past five years, many people working in global health have tried to ensure that the field becomes more inclusive and diverse. Historically, global health has been mainly a top-down, North-to-South enterprise led primarily by white, elite men.
Beyond Zero-Sum in the New Normal - How does advocacy, communications, and fundraising need to change post-pandemic?
By Joanna Mikulski and Katri Bertram The Covid-19 pandemic is reinforcing in a stark way how interconnected our societies and challenges are. A functioning and prosperous economy and society depends on having a strong and inclusive public health system and political leaders capable of implementing sound measures to control the spread of a virus.
Work-life balance and work-life joy in global health: Four regional perspectives and a Call to Action
The issue of work-life balance has recently been highlighted in a number of global health discussions. For example, earlier this year, the Wellcome Trust quite publicly explored whether to introduce a 4-day working week (but decided against this). The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation introduced a 52-week paid parental leave (but then halved this again).
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