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A recently published report calls for change in the way people conduct themselves within global health partnerships and offers practical suggestions.

The Uganda National Academy of Sciences produced the study, called "Enacting an Ethic of Care and Responsibility in Global Health Partnerships."

The report calls for people worldwide to recognize the "interconnectedness of our global health, acknowledging the health of one nation is inextricably linked to the health of all." It draws six conclusions and makes six recommendations, including calling on global health leaders to establish clear communication channels, cultivate shared decision-making, and establish a learning and growth mindset.

Bruce Compton, senior director for global health for CHA, was part of a committee of professionals from around the world who researched and wrote the report. Compton calls the report "a huge win" because its recommendations align with CHA's "Guiding Principles for Conducting Global Health Activities."

Compton and several others involved in the study discussed its findings and recommendations during a webinar in December. Compton talked about his background supporting health care in Haiti. He spent many visits over several years sorting through massive amounts of donated items to identify usable goods from junk.

"It was awful, but I've spent the last 25 years ... trying to create an environment where we change those realities," he said. "And this document, I think, is a real point in time where I feel like we are at the cusp of something real."

Cooperating and collaborating
Gina Lagomarsino, president and CEO of Results for Development, a group that works with country leaders to make long-term and large-scale impacts in health, education and nutrition, was an author of the study. She said during the webinar there is a need to shift the balance of power away from organizations and to local leaders within the global health landscape.

"We set out to create a set of recommendations that are backed by research and evidence and examples, but really to offer practical ideas for the many, many well-intentioned participants in global partnerships around the world who really want to contribute to change," she said. "And I think it's important that this report also really focuses in on human behavior, because it's really humans that are parts of partnerships."

Juan Pablo Uribe, the World Bank's global director for health, nutrition and population, said during the webinar that "cooperation and collaboration is a must. It's not something that you choose, (it is) something that you have to pursue if you really are serious about achieving the end result."

Building trust
Christian Acemah, executive director of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences, said creating the report itself was not a straightforward process, but the group learned how to work together. "We had to unlearn some things. There are times you can see the light bulbs going on...it was shared learning, right?" Acemah said. "It is very crazy when you come to these global health relationships, as we call them. It's rare that you actually have a real conversation about where you're all coming from and what you're bringing to the table, and, more importantly, what you're not bringing to the table."

Katthyana Genevieve Aparicio Reyes, a program officer with the World Health Organization, said that it takes relationship building to start any partnership. "At its core, the report challenges us to shift our mindset. It asks us to move beyond transactional partnerships, driven by donors, agendas, efficiency or short-term goals, and invites us to adopt a relational approach that emphasizes trust, compassion and shared decision-making and obviously accountability," she said. "The recommendations in this report are not just relevant, they are transformative. By investing in relationships and building trust, we can turn shared goals into shared successes."