ADVOCACY

Writing a Global Health Statement is a structured way to address a health issue, outline its importance, and propose actions or solutions. It is often used for advocacy, influencing policy, or raising awareness on a specific global health concern. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write one, with examples:

Introduction: define the problem

Begin by clearly stating the health issue. This section introduces the problem, highlights its significance, and presents relevant statistics or evidence to illustrate its global impact.

Example:
"Around 5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care, which leads to preventable deaths and disabilities. This inequality is particularly pronounced in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where only 6% of surgeries are performed, despite these regions housing more than a third of the world’s population."

Context and Background: Why It Matters

Explain the broader context of the issue and why it is critical for global health. Connect the problem to global health goals, like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), universal health coverage (UHC), or existing international agreements.

Example:
"Surgical care is a fundamental component of health systems and is necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all. Without addressing the surgical care crisis, progress toward SDG 3 will be significantly hindered, particularly in achieving universal health coverage."

Call to Action: What Needs to Be Done

This is the core of the statement, where you outline what changes, solutions, or actions are necessary. Specify clear, realistic, and actionable recommendations. This could include policy changes, investment, research, or global collaboration. Make it clear who should take the actions (e.g., governments, NGOs, international organizations).

Example:
"To address the global surgical gap, we call on governments, international health bodies, and donors to:

• Increase funding for surgical capacity building in LMICs.

• Integrate surgical care into national health plans as an essential component of health systems.

• Strengthen workforce training and infrastructure to ensure safe and accessible surgical services for all.

• Establish global partnerships to support research and innovation in affordable surgical solutions."

Conclusion: Reiterate the Urgency

End with a strong, impactful statement summarizing the urgency of the issue and the potential benefits of taking action. Reinforce your main points and call for collaboration.

Example:
"The lack of access to surgical care is a silent epidemic that continues to claim millions of lives. By prioritizing surgical equity, we can save lives, reduce poverty, and improve health outcomes globally. The time to act is now."

Evidence and References

Depending on the format, some statements may require supporting evidence or references. Be sure to use credible sources like the World Health Organization (WHO), research journals, or reports from established global health organizations.

Governmental organizations make important decisions every day. Whether we realize it or not, the decisions they make will not only affect us personally, but millions around the world. As global citizens, we must take an active role to shape our communities and influence positive change. 

Change is deeply personal, and to make a solid and meaningful impact, the letter and communication you have with policymakers must be factual and personal. You must ensure the letters show extensive knowledge and depth of the subject you are advocating for, as well as detailing how this issue affects your life and that of others. Drafting a global health statement involves clearly communicating your stance on a specific global health issue and proposing actionable solutions. These letters are short, aim for around 500 words or one page maximum. Here’s a general suggestion on how to structure it:

1. Introduction: Introduce yourself briefly and start by defining the issue. Include key facts and statistics to highlight the scale and impact of the problem. For example, if drafting a statement on global surgery, outline the current disparities in access to surgical care.

2. Context and Relevance: Explain why this issue matters in the context of global health. Connect it to wider global health priorities, like Universal Health Coverage or the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This step is the most important one and requires significant research. 

   • Within your letter be as specific as possible. If you are referring to a specific legislation, cite it and refer to how this can be improved and its importance. Take time to gather this information and create a summary of surgical healthcare access in your country. It may involve going through all relevant legislation in your country (all countries should have their own publicly accessible database!). Read more from the WHO on Public Health Law. 

     • Additionally, investigate whether there are any current legislative proposals that could impact healthcare accessibility. Consider whether these proposals support or hinder efforts toward achieving universal health coverage.

   • If you have any personal experience with the topic, or anecdotes from others that are related, mention them here - the more examples, the stronger your point is!

   • Determine the most appropriate person to address your letter to. If your country operates under a parliamentary system, you likely have a representative for your hometown, province, or district. Alternatively, you can write to a policymaker involved in health-related issues or to a member of the health department. Identify a specific individual and find their contact information, which should be publicly accessible.

3. Call to Action: Clearly state what needs to be done. This could involve specific policy changes, increased funding, or stronger partnerships between governments and health organizations. Be specific about who should take action—such as governments, NGOs, or international bodies.

4. Conclusion: End by reiterating the urgency of addressing the issue and the potential benefits of action. Keep it concise, clear, and solution-oriented, emphasizing collaboration and achievable outcomes. Thank the addressee for reading your letter and for their continued support. Let them  know you look forward to hearing their response and for a response regarding a plan to address the concern you have shared with them.

Always remember to cite your sources and use clear and professional language. Share the letter with others involved in the field to proofread and edit. Remember, diversity and different opinions is crucial in producing an effective change at a larger level - take feedback into account and embrace it.

There you go - you have just written your letter driving change!

Hosting a panel is a powerful tool for global health advocacy, offering a platform to raise awareness about the importance of universal health coverage. It fosters crucial dialogue on how to build health systems that address the specific needs of diverse communities while engaging key stakeholders across different levels of society. Bringing together expert voices enhances our understanding and equips us to advocate more effectively for sustainable solutions in global health. To help you organize an impactful panel and drive meaningful change, we've assembled a set of tools and resources to guide you through the process.

1. Prepare an outline

Think of your “why” behind creating a panel. What are the main objectives? Who is the target audience? What modality would be the most effective - online, in person or hybrid? The larger the scale of the event you want to host, the earlier you must begin to prepare these steps. 

Identify the team that is going to help you - we are stronger when we work together! Identify a job that each member is going to be responsible for. Who will be the panelist? Who will lead the PR campaign? Who will be in charge of the tech aspect?

2. Who are your panelists going to be?

Once you have defined an outlined, think about who you want your panelists to be. Will these be experts in the field? Professors? Students? Do your research and identify your speakers. Keep in mind your audience members as well. After this, define the scope of the panel i.e. instead of the topic being generally in “global surgery”, you can define the scope to be “the role of women in global surgery”. Following this, draft an email and reach out to your speakers inviting them to the event. Highlight the target audience and highlight how you believe they can possibly contribute to the event! 

Pro tip: last minute events always come up and life is dynamic, have a backup list of a couple panelists in case your initial panelists become unavailable last minute.

3. Once your panelists are confirmed, its time to spread the word!

Organize a small PR campaign. How will you attract people to view your panel? Will this be through a mailing list, social media, posters, word of mouth … or perhaps all the above! Use websites such as EventBrite to organize the list of participants and allow them to obtain tickets for your event. This will not only help you organize everything before the event, but will also create a touchpoint for any participants tor each out and ask questions about the event previous to it taking place. On the ticket, you can also include the online link for the webinar if this is the modality you choose to use, or the directions detailing where the event is going to take place in person.

4. Draft Panelist Introductions (briefing document part 1)

Collect brief bios from each panelist, including their background, current roles, and contributions to Global Surgery.

Create a succinct, engaging introduction for each panelist, highlighting their unique perspectives and experiences.

5. Draft a Script for Panelist Questions (briefing document part 2)

Identify main topics relevant to Global Surgery, such as youth empowerment, collaboration in global health, or innovation in surgical practices.

Prepare open-ended questions that allow panelists to share personal experiences, insights, and challenges they’ve faced.

6. Engage Panelists with Pre-Event Communication (briefing document part 3)

Send prepared questions to panelists well in advance (at least 1-2 weeks before the event).

Invite panelists to suggest additional questions or topics they'd like to discuss.

Request feedback from panelists on the questions, adjusting as needed based on their responses.

Confirm each panelist's preferred format or angle for answering questions.

7. Draft script for Conclusion of the Event (briefing document part 4)

Summarize key takeaways and highlight important insights shared during the discussion.

Thank panelists for their time, contributions, and any specific points that resonated with the audience.

Encourage the audience to stay involved in Global Surgery, whether through research, collaboration, or advocacy. Mention any follow-up events, resources, or ways attendees can stay engaged.

Close with a call-to-action or inspiring message to continue the momentum toward improving global health.

8. Assign a Technical Support Person

Designate someone to monitor the event for any technical issues. Have this person familiar with troubleshooting common technical problems. Make sure they are available to jump in immediately if audio, video, or connectivity issues arise.

Provide contact information for this person to all participants, so they know whom to reach out to if needed.

9. Event day!

Congratulations, it is the event day! All the hard work you have put into this incredible event is about to see the light of day! Be warm and welcoming to your guest speakers and your participants. Stay cool, calm and collected - last minute slips may happen but you will be prepared to address these as they come. 

If you are the moderator, ensure you give your panelists enough time to ask questions. Pro tip: send your panelists a pre-set list of questions for them to prepare in advance and also outline the time limit they might have - for example, 3 minutes to answer a question. Allow time for a live Q&A from your audience as well and give your participants the chance to engage with the amazing panel you have worked so hard to bring together. 

At the end, thank your panelists and your guests for making the time to be there. Highlight how important the work that everyone present is doing in advocating, educating and engaging in these important topics. And finally, relax and be proud of the panel you have organized. Not only have you personally gained skills, but you have brought a community of people together to engage for a better tomorrow - a true global citizen.