“I think we’re getting smarter about looking at the whole disease…We’re looking at things more holistically.” – Melinda Gates Speaking at the recent Global Health Product Development forum in Seattle, Bill and Melinda Gates of the Gates Foundation expressed a desire to move toward a more comprehensive approach to global health that looks beyond the “just another drug company” model. With its emphasis on technological innovation grounded in extensive funding of R&D efforts, the Gates Foundation is often identified as a proponent of the “techno-fix.” While this pattern of creating low-cost and effective drugs and vaccines provides some victories in fighting diseases of poverty, a greater focus on social, political and rights-based factors contributing to global inequities is required. “Diseases don’t disproportionately attack the poor because bugs are afraid of rich people; the poor suffer more from disease because they are poor and lack affordable, reliable access to basic health care, to clean water and good food or even just basic information” – Tom Paulson (article writer)
HTH works in rural Togo, where over half of the population lives on less than $2/day.
The past 10 years has shown that our system works to ensure that high quality healthcare is available to all in our catchment area in Togo. HTH is excited that the Gates Foundation has revamped its principles. Combining effective treatments and strong healthcare delivery systems to distribute these treatments will lead to better health outcomes.