"It represents a new approach, informed by new thinking and aimed at a new goal: To save the greatest possible number of lives, both by increasing our existing health programs and by building upon them to help countries develop their own capacity to improve the health of their own people.”
– Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, August 2010
The Global Health Initiative (GHI) is an approach to instituting integrated, coordinated and results-driven global health investments. GHI strategically combines the skills of U.S. Government agencies to overcome global health challenges that threaten lives at home and around the world. GHI supports all U.S. Government agencies to work as one, governed by GHI Principles , throughout the 80 countries around the world where we work. Through GHI, the United States is maximizing investments to protect the American people, advancing America’s core values, and saving more lives. Success will be measured on making progress in three key areas of focus which are:
Investing in Women, Saving Mothers
GHI has brought the needs and potential of women and girls to the fore, working to redress gender-related inequalities, to promote the empowerment of women and girls, and to improve health outcomes for individuals, families and communities. Through GHI, the U.S. Government supports further progress to improve the health of women and girls and increase integrated programming to meet women’s comprehensive health needs, including a strong focus on reducing maternal mortality. Preventable maternal deaths still take the lives of too many women in the developing world.
Creating an AIDS-free Generation
By providing prevention, care, and treatment to millions worldwide, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) brought hope to communities that had been decimated by AIDS. New scientific advances in prevention and treatment will enable PEPFAR to make an even greater impact as it works to treat more than 6 million people, prevent more than 12 million infections, and provide support to more than 5 million orphans.
Ending Preventable Child Deaths
Within the overarching framework of GHI, the U.S. Government is working together with UNICEF and other partners to mobilize the world to end preventable child deaths. Scientific, technological, and programmatic advances present an historic opportunity to accelerate progress in high, middle, and low-income countries alike. Under-five mortality is affected by a wide variety of factors and requires a comprehensive approach across almost all U.S. Government programs.
“[W]e will not be successful in our efforts to end deaths from AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis unless we do more to improve health systems around the world, focus our efforts on child and maternal health, and ensure that best practices drive the funding for these programs.”
– President Barack Obama, May 2009 |
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The Global Health Initiative was developed by the Obama Administration to offer an integrated approach to unify our government's investments in global health. This approach draws upon the expertise and programs of the core GHI agencies including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of State, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its other agencies, the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, as well as the Peace Corps and the Department of Defense. GHI supports better integration and coordination among programs at both the headquarters and most importantly, at the country-level under the leadership of our U.S. Ambassador. Our working partners include recipient countries, other governments and donors, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) including the faith community.