ABSTRACT
Chapter 8 Where should we “move” from here? 21st Century global-health education and service. Global health today is beset by massive practitioner shortfalls, particularly in Africa, and by competency gaps that exacerbate transnational migration. Education provides the key to addressing the shortage of qualified health-care workers. In a concluding vision, Chapter 8 brings together education, health care, and transmigration. Specifically, a case is made for robust transnational-competence (TC) education in North and South, for migrants as well as health practitioners (including community-health workers). Promising educational initiatives for global health diplomacy also receive attention. In addition, symmetrical transnational partnerships are featured and innovative health technologies that promise to enhance medical education and public-health capacity in the South are critically assessed. Prospects that committed and transnationally mobile volunteers can inspire and catalyze community-health gains in the South are explored in-depth. Volunteerism is first distinguished from voluntourism and the limitations, risks, and potential of uncoordinated short-term medical missions and educational experiences are assessed. Then, launching a TC-equipped Global Health and Migration Corps is proposed, justified, and elaborated. The conclusion incorporates changing public-health and mobility ethics. How can we advance “Us before Me” ethics, the pursuit of solidarity? Respect for autonomy and community participation must be part of the new ethical equation. Prospects for increased transnational-health equity rely heavily on analysis of social determinants and policy decisions, enforced international instruments, symmetrical-research partnering, reverse learning, migrant-health advocacy, and collaborative and convincing evaluations. Chapter 8 and the rest of the book underscore that the pursuit of global health equity will continue to be tied to mobility outcomes and impacts.
