Fireside Chat, Panel
Advancing Global Health Equity Through the SDGs
Milken InstituteThomas Bollyky, Ruth Berg, Patrick Fine, Melissa J. Kopolow McCall, Tom Boyke, Katherine Connelly
- Ruth Berg's organization plans to partner with Power for Africa to deliver on-grid and off-grid electricity, alongside water and road improvements, in remote northern Nigeria to support health outcomes and integrate water and agriculture sectors into its health program.
- Patrick Fine anticipates a global shift from primary to universal health care driven by a UN equity agenda, necessitating hybrid financing models that combine public and private funding with a larger role for biomedical, tech, and pharmaceutical companies.
- Health financing in growth economies is expected to evolve into hybrid systems combining private and public provision, while conflict zones will continue to rely on external finance from the UN, World Bank, bilateral donors, and emerging donors like China, India, and Brazil.
- The global disease burden is predicted to shift significantly toward non-communicable diseases, with diabetes prevalence increasing four times since 1980, requiring comprehensive approaches to obesity and diabetes that involve urban planning and food accessibility changes.
- Insurers are expected to become central to future health systems, requiring private sector intervention and creative retooling, while the US is urged to share lessons from its social communication campaigns and healthy community models.
- Despite the need for private sector engagement, there is a risk that governments facing cash constraints may use increased private investment as an excuse to reduce or stagnate public investment in health systems.
- Patrick Fine warns that public responses to non-communicable diseases may be insufficient because they are viewed as lifestyle choices rather than public safety threats, noting that international discussions inadequately address this responsibility gap.
- To achieve the SDGs within the remaining 10 years of the "Decade of Action," there is a call to double down on efforts and integrate private sector entities, as governments and NGOs cannot reduce harmful alcohol use without engaging producers and sellers.
- Melissa Coppola-McCall's company commits to having health-impact labels on all bottles by 2025, ahead of any international regulation, while noting that nine investments in social enterprises over two years, seven in health, support community-level innovation.
- Local ownership in developing countries is expected to be driven by direct input from youth, local providers, and patients, with global challenges offering mentoring and seed money to address community-specific issues.
- The business community is increasingly acknowledging a commitment to social good on par with profit, citing the Business Roundtable pledge signed by 163 CEOs, though new donor integration from China, India, and Brazil remains unclear.
- Patrick Fine suggests that industries with concerns about their global health impact should be engaged rather than ostracized to encourage prioritizing health over profit, including addressing conflicts of interest in alcohol production and traffic fatalities.
- Fiscal policies can nudge consumers toward lower-alcohol products if prices are managed correctly, but health ministers and finance ministers must collaborate, noting that illicit alcohol problems may worsen if prices become too high.
- The private sector is expected to act as an incubator for testing policies, such as Smart Drinking Goals pilots in 10 cities aimed at reducing harmful alcohol use by 10%, and supply verified data to governments for better policy decisions.
- Private sector companies are already contributing to SDGs without advertising, and a UN registry is suggested to help partners become aware of these efforts, while the private sector has an obligation to provide leadership on regulation-free issues like breast milk substitute marketing.
- There is an expectation that the private sector should not fear discussing its work on SDGs to avoid silos, with a focus on scaling solutions through verified data and localized testing before global deployment.
- Patrick Fine observes that the approach to infectious diseases is ill-suited for non-communicable diseases like obesity, which are viewed as individual responsibilities, creating a disconnect in public financing strategies.
- Melissa Coppola-McCall expects that engaging private sector entities in SDG discussions is necessary because governments and NGOs cannot achieve goals like reducing harmful alcohol use without involving producers, distributors, and sellers.
- Patrick Fine notes that while there are tremendous resources from new donors like China, India, and Brazil, their integration into the international community is not yet clear.
- Patrick Fine expects that the prevalence of diabetes will go up significantly, having increased four times since 1980.
- Patrick Fine anticipates that the burden of disease will continue to shift toward non-communicable diseases in emerging economies that lack the tools to address them.
- Patrick Fine expects that private sector companies are already making contributions to the SDGs and improving healthcare without advertising, and that a UN registry could help partners become aware of these existing efforts.
- Patrick Fine predicts that industries with real concerns about their impact on global health should be engaged rather than ostracized to encourage them to put health above profit.
- Patrick Fine expects that the trend of "local ownership" requires listening to patients, youth, and local providers to ensure programs are truly driven by the community's needs.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector's involvement in global health must include leadership without waiting for regulation, citing progress in breast milk substitute marketing.
- Patrick Fine anticipates that the private sector must take a leadership role in addressing conflicts of interest, such as those surrounding alcohol production, rather than avoiding the table.
- Patrick Fine expects that fiscal policies can nudge consumers toward lower alcohol products if prices are managed correctly, and that governments need verified data to make these policy decisions.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector can supply verified data to governments to help them make better policy decisions regarding fiscal measures.
- Patrick Fine anticipates that illicit alcohol becomes a worse problem when prices go too high, citing examples in India and the Dominican Republic.
- Patrick Fine expects that health ministers and finance ministers need to talk to each other to use fiscal policies effectively toward a health equity agenda.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector can act as an incubator for testing policies and procedures, such as the Smart Drinking Goals pilots in 10 cities, to reduce harmful alcohol use by 10%.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector has an obligation to participate in reducing traffic fatalities, as they are major road users, and that data analysis can identify specific contributors to fatalities in specific areas.
- Patrick Fine anticipates that the private sector can test and replicate solutions in specific areas before scaling them up globally.
- Melissa Coppola-McCall expects that the private sector should not be afraid to discuss their contributions to SDGs to avoid silos and enable greater progress through partnership.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector is not afraid to discuss their contributions to SDGs if it helps avoid silos.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector should not be ostracized when there are concerns about their impact on global health.
- Patrick Fine expects that the business community is acknowledging the need for social good to be on par with profit.
- Patrick Fine expects that local private sectors are a key part of the health system in developing countries.
- Patrick Fine expects that youth input is critical for designing youth-friendly services.
- Patrick Fine expects that local ownership can be driven through global challenges that allow companies to apply and receive mentoring and seed money to address community-specific issues.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector's involvement in global health must include leadership without waiting for regulation.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector can act as an incubator for testing policies and procedures.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector has an obligation to participate in reducing traffic fatalities.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector can supply verified data to governments.
- Patrick Fine expects that illicit alcohol becomes a worse problem when prices go too high.
- Patrick Fine expects that health ministers and finance ministers need to talk to each other.
- Patrick Fine expects that the private sector can test and replicate solutions in specific areas.