The Prevailing Challenges Within the Global Health Sector
By Alexandra Douglas
This post is part of a series in diverse mediums focusing on the theme “How do we envision equity in global health?”. These submissions are by McGill students who were part of the course, Fundamentals of Global Health, in Fall 2023.
The selected cartoon for this project serves as a visual commentary on the prevailing challenges within the global health sector, drawing inspiration from the article titled "Addressing power asymmetries in global health: Imperatives in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic." In the illustrative narrative, a castle stands as a metaphorical representation of the overarching global health system. At the top is a table, symbolizing the locus of control within global health decision-making. Those sitting at the table are white men from high-income countries, embodying the main actors influencing the trajectory of global health policies.
The castle itself is emblematic of the global healthcare system while those convened at the summit represent influential figures orchestrating its course. Concurrently, individuals situated beyond the castle walls symbolize marginalized voices and perspectives systematically overlooked within the global health paradigm.
The inaccessibility of the table atop the castle accentuates the magnitude of the issue, highlighting systemic barriers inhibiting the amplification of diverse voices. The elevated placement of the table underscores its unattainability, particularly for those situated at the lower echelons. This configuration serves as a poignant metaphor for pervasive racial biases, patriarchal structures, and the deficiency of diversity and inclusion ingrained in the existing global health framework.
The journey to the top of the castle underscores the challenges faced by those striving for representation and inclusivity. The singular path to the table subtly alludes to systemic biases favoring white men from HIC. The door to the castle is open showing that anyone is free to enter, but the cartoon underscores the obstacles impeding progress and perpetuating systemic oppression. There is one female at the table, representing the tokenistic diversity hire that occurs in the global health system. This submission contributes to addressing the challenge in global health as in an equitable world there would be seats for everyone at the table with the white men from HIC observing in the same room and offering support as allies.