I am an unabashed proponent of military involvement in humanitarian assistance operations and the power of health diplomacy. In 2008 I embedded with Operation Continuing Promise and was impressed by the military’s attention of appropriate, sustainable health care. However, I cannot help but be a little concerned when I see drop-in medical assistance operations like this:
I am not going to press my concerns too far, because I know nothing about this particular operation except what is stated in the video. However, is a one-day (guessing) primary care visit the best method of health diplomacy? The video makes a good photo-op, but if the benefits of medical assistance operations are to be maximized, they must move beyond pretty pictures and focus on boosting the capacity of local health systems. Capacity building is both an appropriate public health intervention and an effective means of developing strong relationships between the United States and foreign governments.
Hat Tip: Starbuck
Christopher R. Albon is a Ph.D. candidate specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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