FRIST INTRODUCES GLOBAL HEALTH CORPS LEGISLATION

On April 29, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) introduced legislation to create a U.S. Global Health Corps. The bill, co-sponsored by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Mike DeWine (R-OH), and Richard Lugar (R-IL), aims to serve foreign populations with health crises and promote goodwill towards Americans.

The legislation could not have been introduced at a more crucial time. World public opinion of the U.S. is at an all-time low and millions of preventable deaths from disease, malnutrition, and sanitation problems are seriously disrupting stability and economic development in poor countries. Last year, AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria together killed over 6 million people, a number that has grown every year in the last 2 decades. Over 2.4 billion of the world’s 6.1 billion people lack access to basic sanitation, leaving them vulnerable to a host of other serious illnesses. Economists and security experts agree that strategic investments in basic health and sanitation would give poor people a much-needed boost to lift themselves out of poverty, as well as improve international security by keeping states away from the brink of collapse and failure.

The Global Health Corps, which would be modeled on the Peace Corps created in 1960 by President John F. Kennedy, would strongly serve U.S. interests. By promoting health worldwide, the Global Health Corps would bring American generosity and compassion into public view. “Within our borders there exists a vast reservoir of talent, knowledge, and compassion that can help heal our global neighbors,” Frist said. “And by sharing these talents with regions in need, we can spread health and healing while bolstering our nation’s image throughout the world.”

The Corps would provide critical dental care, sanitation, clean water, and health care training, as well as disease surveillance services to some of the world’s most underserved populations.
 

Updated May 2, 2005