Medical Diplomacy: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Posted by Bill Pierce

Yesterday I went to an interesting speech by former federal Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson at the National Press Club in Washington.

Thompson was speaking about a new energized initiative to defeat neglected tropical diseases.  He is the new Global Ambassador for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (http://gnntdc.org).  Besides all the obvious reasons for joining in this fight — over 1 billion people affected by these diseases, which lead to huge economic and human drains on the countries where these folks live because they mostly don’t kill, just maim and debilitate; and the fact that the cost to treat these is relatively cheap (mostly due to the fact that the pharmaceutical companies donate all the medicines), about 50 cents for every American per year for the seven most common NTDs — he made another point that is even more interestingly and compelling.

With the US prestige at a low point around the world, and our economic slowdown affecting the rest of the world, we could use a new strategy to raise our standing in the world.  Toward this end, Thompson makes the case for developing a “Medical Diplomacy” strategy as part of US foreign policy.

In his words, Medical Diplomacy is “the concept of employing our great advances in health care and life sciences to provide medical relief to people who are suffering from disease across the globe.  In addition to saving and improving lives, Medical Diplomacy has the ability to enhance America’s image overseas.”

It makes sense.  Deploying US health resources, whether it is sending the hospital ships Comfort and Hope to places where help is needed (he talked about the PR impact made when the Hope went to aid in Tsunami relief in Indonesia), or personnel and money (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief initiative or USAID’s “Mother-to-Child” HIV transmission program – which Thompson initiated); or rebuilding hospitals in Afghanistan where the Taliban destroyed the infrastructure; or even putting a health officer in most US Embassy’s  — the US has something unique and powerful to offer – better and good health.  And it’s not about high tech.  Many places around the world don’t have the basics.  So he’s not talking about importing US practices.  For example, he talked about how bringing clean water and a place for the doctor to scrub up before a mother gave birth at the rebuilt hospital in Afghanistan dramatically reduced child and mother mortality rates.  When he went to the opening ceremonies of the hospital, in addition to all the invited guests, there were over 600 uninvited women who came to say thanks – and get care.

Thompson’s idea is a simple way to show the world who Americans really are, and that we truly want to help.  This idea could go a long way toward restoring our reputation.

In the interest of full disclosure I was Secretary Thompson’s press secretary at HHS for his full tenure at the Department.