Barbara Lee Introduces Global Health Legislation

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced: HR 4933, The Global HEALTH Act, which is intended to help improve the effectiveness of our global health programs, strengthen health systems in developing countries, and support the recruitment, training, and retention of indigenous health workers in these countries.

“Over the last several years the United States, along with our international partners, has revolutionized the delivery of effective and sustainable health interventions in developing countries,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Driven in large part by the establishment of the bipartisan President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, and its subsequent reauthorization in 2008, the US has led the way in creating innovative, accountable, and transparent global AIDS programs that are integrated with national health systems and coordinated with the work of other donors and international organizations.

“The lessons we have learned from PEPFAR are now being applied across all US global health programs through the establishment of President Obama’s Global Health Initiative - which is designed to better integrate and improve the effectiveness of US global health programs in developing countries – at a cost of $63 billion over six years. My bill would help build on the Global Health Initiative and promote the critical importance of building health capacity as a means to empowering countries to help themselves and take care of the health needs of their own people.”

HR 4933, provides a framework for Congress to guide the development and implementation of the Global Health Initiative by focusing on four key areas:

• STRATEGY: Requiring the development of an integrated and unified global health strategy with a focus on building health systems and health capacity and empowering civil society stakeholders in countries where US assistance will be delivered;
• HEALTH SYSTEMS: Helping countries strengthen their national health systems by directly supporting health facilities; recruiting, training and retaining skilled health workers; developing supply-chain management systems; providing technical assistance; and ensuring that indigenous civil society and non-governmental organizations are involved in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of their national health system;
• HEALTH WORKFORCE: Establishing a Global Health Workforce Initiative to support developing countries in strengthening and expanding their health workforce in order to achieve the World Health Organization’s recommended total of at least 2.3 doctors, nurses, and trained midwives per 1,000 residents;
• CONSISTENCY: Ensuring that current US laws and voting positions on multilateral organizations do not conflict with the goals of our global health programs and do not interfere with the ability of developing countries to strengthen their health systems and health workforces to meet the needs of their people.

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