The Office of Global Health Diplomacy (S/GHD) guides diplomatic efforts to advance the United States' global health mission to improve and save lives and foster sustainability through a shared global responsibility. In doing so, S/GHD focuses on providing diplomatic support in implementing the Global Health Initiative’s principles and goals. More»
January 2014 marks the one year anniversary of the Secretary’s Office of Global Health Diplomacy. To mark this occasion, State Magazine featured S/GHD as "Office of the Month." Read the article here.
On April 4, Dr. Deborah Birx was sworn in as the new Ambassador-at-Large and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator to lead all U.S. Government international HIV/AIDS efforts. Ambassador Birx now oversees implementation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history, as well as all U.S. Government engagement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Read the full Press Release.
Each year, we recognize World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24. World TB Day provides the opportunity to raise awareness about TB-related problems and solutions and to support worldwide TB control efforts. The U.S. Government has made great progress to control and treat TB, but people around the world still continue to die from the disease. On this World TB Day 2014, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) joins the international community in commemorating World TB Day. Read the DipNote blog.
On March 7, Secretary Kerry released a statement reaffirming a commitment to continued progress on gender equality for International Women’s Day. He emphasized that the United States stands ready to protect and advance the health, education, and human rights of women and girls everywhere, because women’s progress is human progress. Read the full Press Statement. Read the Op-Ed.
Last month Embassy Port Moresby, Embassy Suva, and Embassy Apia in collaboration with the Office of Global Health Diplomacy convened an online conference with health officers in the field and U.S. interagency health teams across the U.S. government to discuss health success and challenges in the South Pacific. Ambassador Leslie Rowe of the Office of Global Health Diplomacy co-chaired the meeting with Ambassador Walter North of Embassy Port Moresby. Ambassador Rowe discussed the priorities for her office and the Obama administration, and pointed out diplomatic approaches to improving health. The key challenges identified during the conference include the need to build health capacity in the Islands institutionally and not just among the health workforce, and finding better ways to communicate as an interagency team both collectively and in smaller groups.
In a press statement released on February 24, Secretary Kerry reflected the deep disappointment of the U.S. in the anti-homosexuality bill signed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Secretary Kerry expressed concern about the law’s potential to set back public health efforts in Uganda, including those efforts addressing HIV/AIDS, which must be conducted in a non-discriminatory manner in order to be effective. Read Secretary Kerry’s Full Statement.
