I actually initially became interested in the concept of health system strengthening from a lecture given by Dr. Chad Swanson in my Health 100 class. He talked about the importance to improve health through addressing the places where the delivery of health services are in crippled. He actually has a blog of his own at http://ghsia.wordpress.com/ where he researches, tracks, and discusses the progress made to better understand how to strengthen health systems.
He made a post a couple of months ago about the need for the strengthening of health systems movement to mirror more of a social movement in passion, leadership, and ambition emulation. In the efforts to improve equality and protect civil rights globally, we have seen passionate leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi make great sacrifices and effect great change for the freedoms of others. Our fight to improve health equality across the globe fits right in with their arguments, social mobilizations, and visions.
In saying this, we address the question of whether or not health is a right rather than a privilege. Living in our current health care system, you may wonder if it is a right to receive basic health care needs if you can’t afford it. Do we all deserve to be healthy, just as we all deserve the freedoms of equality? I think the answer is obvious. With the millions who suffer and die needlessly every day, the need to fight for the attainment of health equality is at its greatest now! We need to learn from the social movements of before to help build a unified force to tackle present global health issues. As Dr. Chad Swanson says, ” we need charismatic leaders, committed, passionate, volunteer followers, and an organized strategy.” We have so many international and local organizations working to alleviate suffering on a global scale in different areas: cancer, AIDS, malaria, etc. What we need now is to unify our efforts and coordinate our programs to effect the greatest change. With passion and a unified front, we can change the world!
Global Health System Strengthening 
I took International Heath from Chad Swanson last fall and I think he’s got a lot of good points. I like this post because it does address an issue that people tend to skirt over or ignore.
By: lynnphil on June 10, 2010
at 9:21 pm
I have not taken a class from Chad Swanson but i did have him guest lecture in one of my classes and I loved the passion he brought to the classroom. I loved the end of this blog about needing to unify in our health efforts. I think if we did this so much more could be accomplished!
By: catherineb28 on June 12, 2010
at 1:07 am
I think that there is a definite need for unifying in our health efforts. It is important to make sure that we are striving and coming together with common goals and looking to the future with knowledge that we can get to where we need to.
By: scottw8 on June 12, 2010
at 10:21 pm
Health Care is a moral imperative until someone wants to reach into your wallet! I whole-heartedly agree with you that everyone, regardless of economic status, deserves basic health care and that is something for which I would be willing to be taxed. Why is it that there is, especially within political parties, a dis-connect between the moral statement and the economic reality? Or in your view is there a disconnect? Perhaps I am being naive or simply uninformed.
By: Jonathan Weiss on September 17, 2010
at 11:22 pm