International Development Committee Inquiry: Call for Potential Topics of Inquiry
Submission: Action for Global Health Network
Action for Global Health (AfGH) is a network of more than 50 organisations based in the UK and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) working towards a world where the universal right to health is realised. AfGH acts as the coordinator between the UK government and global health civil society, convening regular meetings and sharing learning from across our network.
Topic: Time for a UK Global Health Equity Strategy
Why should the International Development Committee examine this area?
The UK has not had a comprehensive, cross-government global health strategy since 2015, despite the world experiencing a global pandemic during this time. A UK Global Health Equity Strategy is an opportunity to bring together the work of the Development Review and the aims of the Labour manifesto (particularly the NHS Mission), in a way that builds resilient, inclusive health systems and centres the most marginalised - at home and abroad.
Why is it the right time for the Committee to examine the area?
The UK’s current Global Health Framework is due to expire in 2025 and the UK is actively considering what will replace this guidance. As such, this inquiry would provide an assessment of the UK’s approach and work on global health at a critical time and ensure that ODA is as targeted and effective as possible.
The upcoming year will also see a critical series of global summits and forums relevant to this inquiry topic – including the upcoming Nutrition for Growth Summit, World Health Assembly, High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases, and GAVI and Global Fund replenishments.
Why would this area benefit from parliamentary scrutiny? Why does the Government need to act in this area? How could Government policy in this area be developed or improved?
Recent geo-political and population changes, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, have escalated global health challenges significantly. The escalation in global conflicts, the implications of the US election for global sexual and reproductive health and rights, the increasing global burden of non-communicable diseases and the growing impacts of climate change on people and planetary health have created global health poly-crises. The UK needs a new approach that equips global health systems to withstand the impact of these environmental, political and social determinants of health, prioritises the health of those most marginalised (eg. women, disabled, elders, children) and protects against future pandemics. The inquiry should also examine the disproportionate impact of recent ODA cuts on the UK’s health programming and the UK’s legitimacy in global health diplomacy.
In particular, there has been an increased movement to assess and better understand the various connections between climate change and health. The World Health Organization has named climate change as the greatest global health emergency of the 21st century. The UK has demonstrated some leadership in addressing these interlinkages to date, as evidenced by the UK’s elevation of health at COP26, the influencing of climate and health initiatives (including the COP28 framework) and the UK’s role in the Alliance for Action on Climate Change and Health (ATACH) initiative (an international initiative to advance health systems resilience). However, as we face the prospect of potential further ODA funding cuts, it is crucial that the new UK Government is tackling these two issues together. Taking an integrated approach to these challenges will ensure that the most marginalised have access to the healthcare they need, accelerate the achievement of the UK’s climate goals and re-build the UK’s reputation on the global stage. As such, this inquiry should have a strong strand around the importance and value of linking climate and health for ‘win-wins’, how UK climate and health policies and stakeholders are integrated, and the critical importance of localisation and community engagement to address this nexus.
Additional Questions:
Have you ever engaged with Parliament before?
Yes – Action for Global Health has made numerous written submissions to International Development Committee inquiries and also provided verbal evidence within the COVID-19 inquiry.
Do you have personal or field experience related to international development issues?
Yes – Action for Global Health centers lived experience perspectives from across our network in all of our outputs and policy development. We also have more than 10 member organisations based in LMICs.
If you are invited to pitch your idea to the Committee, would you be able to travel to London and back within the same day?
Yes – our secretariat staff would be able to travel to London and back within the same day.