First Impressions

I was thrilled when USC offered the Global Health Leadership and Management track for the MPH program and switched from Health Promotion and Education right away. I did so because I believe that the world is becoming a smaller community due to globalization and we must change and adapt in order to be relevant. I also appreciate the track and especially this class, Emerging Trends in Global Health, because I believe that it is current and dynamic and I have much to learn. I'm especially excited for the passion Dr. Shahi will bring to class given his experience in public health as well as the private sector.

As the demographic patterns continue to change, a great dichotomy emerges in the world, where we have disease from deprivation alongside disease from over-consumption. In order to achieve a balance we must work as a global community to bring about a change in the way we view health, because health is a capacity and it is the foundation for every human endeavor.

Millennium Development Goals
In order for the MDG to be achievable, a crucial prerequisite of meeting these goals for developing countries is the ability to build up their core public health functions. Policy and infrastructure must be in place and strengthened so that interventions will be managed efficiently with accountability and disseminated to those who need them most. Further, in order for these noble yet lofty goals to be achieved, governments, non-governnmental organizations, and the private sectors must work in synergy, because health and parity in health benefits everyone.