MPH student Lady Dorothy Elli reflects on the Decolonization in Global Health panel discussion that she helped to organize as a co-chair of the Global Health Alliance student group, a discussion that brought together a range of public health practitioners and researchers for a passionate conversation about how to decolonize international public health efforts.
Story by Lady Dorothy Elli
As one of the key organizers for this decolonization panel, I am sharing this reflection on the discussion for future student leaders, faculty, and staff within the college so they can use the insights and ideas that were shared to formulate next steps towards intentional efforts to decolonize global health.
The Decolonization in Global Health panel discussion took place on April 30, 2024 in the Zuckerman College of Public Health. More than 100 students, faculty, and staff attended the event, both in-person and online. With perspectives from the experienced panelists and moderators, and many questions and views from audience members, it was a lively and thought-provoking discussion about how global health programs and research can be equitably and inclusively conducted.
The panel discussion was organized by the Global Health Alliance (GHA), a student-led organization in the college. The GHA was created to increase student engagement and discussion on topics and programs in global health.
I would also like to take this opportunity to give recognition to the people, programs, and offices that made this event possible. Thank you to the following:
- The panelists, for accepting GHA’s invitation to serve on the panel and sharing their experience, knowledge, and insights on the path forward for decolonization in global health and decolonization efforts around the world.
- Dr. Mamadou Baro
- Dr. Felina Cordova-Marks
- Dr. Purnima Mahivanan
- Dr. Naqib Safi
- The moderators Dr. John Ehiri and Dr. Priscilla Magrath for engaging both the panelists and the audience throughout the discussion.
- Dr. Gabriella Valdez, Director of Global Education for the college’s Global Health Institute, for delivering the opening remarks for the program.
- My student colleagues in the Global Health Alliance group, especially to the leadership team including Priyanka Ravi, Jepkoech Kimaru, and Maiya Block Ngaybe, for their assistance in planning this event.
In addition to the distinguished panel, the event also included many student voices, especially during the Question & Answer (Q&A) portion of the event. Students shared their experiences and posed thoughtful questions to the panelists about how to advance decolonization in the field of global health and in the community.
After the event, the GHA leadership team discussed next steps using the information presented by the panelists, along with the perspectives and questions posed by the students, to continue the discussion on decolonization and formulate programs, projects, or endeavors that are more intentional and aim to address decolonization as a college and an institution of higher education.
Attendees in Drachman Hall during the GHA Decolonization Panel
(Image provided by GHA member, Priyanka Ravi)
Panelists and moderators (left to right): Dr. Purnima Madhivanan, Dr. Priscilla Magrath, Dr. Mamadou Baro, and Dr. John Ehiri. Dr. Naqib Safi and Dr. Felina Cordova-Marks (not pictured) joined via Zoom.
(Image provided by GHA member, Sarah Yeo)
Perspectives from the panelists
Dr. Purnima Madhivanan
Purnima Madhivana, MBBS, PhD, MPH, brings extensive experience working on international public health research and programs in India. During the Global Health Alliance (GHA) Decolonization Panel discussion, Dr. Mahivanan emphasized the importance of understanding power and positionality, especially for global health researchers. They must be aware of the power they hold, and their roles and positions in certain spaces, particularly those where their power might undermine the identities and priorities of underserved or marginalized communities.
“Why are we talking about global health?” said Dr. Madhivanan, “who are we to talk about global health?”
Dr. Felina Cordova-Marks
Assistant Professor in Health Promotion Sciences, Felina Cordova-Marks, DrPH, MPH, MSc, (Hopi) has wide experience and expertise in health disparities and American Indian health. Dr. Cordova-Marks spoke about the need to return to the language and culture of decolonized populations, especially in Indigenous communities. She emphasized the importance of recognizing the immense contributions of public health researchers from local communities and providing them with the trust and recognition they deserve. Sometimes this recognition can be in the form of naming them as first or second authors in publications since they bring a wealth of experience working with their populations and communities.
“That's what decolonizing is for us – how do we get back to who we were before, pre-contact?” said Dr. Cordova-Marks, “Our ways of knowing, our ways of wellbeing, like I mentioned, our language, our culture, how do we get back to that?... We're very resilient, and so that's something else to also consider when you're thinking about decolonizing.”
Dr. Mamadou Baro
Associate Professor in the School of Anthropology in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at U of A, Dr. Mamadou Baro serves as the Chair of the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology (BARA) which is responsible for many successes in research and outreach presences in sub-Saharan Africa. A renowned applied anthropologist and an innovative researcher in the areas of land governance, climate change, resilience and participatory development, Dr. Baro has also worked over the last 30 years as a consultant for the United Nations agencies, the World Bank, IFAD, USAID, Care International, Oxfam, Save the Children, OMVS, Tango International and local non-governmental organizations. His African Partnerships Initiative has developed an innovative platform for channeling international assistance to poor Africans in rural and urban settings.
Dr. Baro stressed the importance of cultural sensitivity and respect in global health research. He noted that power imbalances caused by funding and collaboration requirements often undermine the expertise of local public health researchers. Despite the vast experience that local researchers have working with their communities, they are required to collaborate with researchers from developed countries, often from universities, which may undermine their expertise. Trust in local public health researchers is critical, and recognition of their expertise and contributions is critical to ensure the success of global health research.
“Think about the concept of expertise,” said Dr. Baro, “When you talk about expertise, who's the expert on all this?... We need to realize that there is also local expertise. And sometimes the local expertise is even more important.”
Dr. Naqibullah Safi
Naqibullah Safi, MD, MPH, MBA, an accomplished public health, emergency management, and leadership expert, currently holds the position of Senior Lecturer in the college and serves as a director for ERADA Technology Alliance. Throughout his career, Dr. Safi has held various roles in public health and emergency management, including Senior Emergency Coordinator in the Emergency Response Team for the United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the New York headquarters. In his UNICEF role he led numerous emergency response missions in Africa and Asia. In addition, Dr. Safi worked for over a decade with the Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan, as Senior Advisor to the Minister of Public Health, Director General of Primary and Preventive Medicine, and many other public health leadership roles in that country.
As a panelist, Dr. Safi emphasized the importance of recognizing the power dynamics that exist in global health research and the need to address them. He noted that the power imbalances between researchers from developed countries and local public health researchers often result in outside researchers setting the research agenda and determining the research questions. This approach may not take into account the priorities and needs of the local communities being studied, and the inclusion of local public health researchers in setting the research agenda can improve outcomes.
“How do we really incorporate the knowledge that those communities have in order to heal and contribute to better health outcomes?” said Dr. Safi, “How do we make a plan? Who is making the decisions? Is it the funding agency making decisions based on the availability of resources? Or are the needs of people guiding the decisions? Overall, decolonization is about the redistribution of power, authority, resource allocation, where it's mostly needed and what needs to be done, how it needs to be done.”
Key takeaways from the Decolonization Panel Discussion
Based on the panel discussion, the following are my recommendations for Decolonization in Global Health as a whole:
- Increase opportunities for local public health researchers from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to lead and participate in global health research projects. This can be achieved by developing partnerships with LMIC institutions and funding agencies to provide support and resources for LMIC researchers.
- Prioritize cultural sensitivity and respect in global health research. This can be achieved by involving local communities in setting the research agenda and ensuring that research questions align with their priorities and needs.
- Recognize and value the expertise and contributions of local public health researchers. This can be achieved by naming them as first or second authors in publications and providing them with opportunities for professional development and advancement within the college.
- Continue this conversation on decolonization and further brainstorm with the Global Health Alliance team to think of next steps and action items to be able to create programming and further discussions around this topic.
- Ensure the conversations on decolonization are consistently included in the academic setting and that professors are willing to discuss the impact of decolonization in their courses within the college, incorporating important literature and integrating it into class discussions.
- Lift up student voices, especially the diverse and international student community in the college, and listen to their stories and their experiences to more effectively support them not only in their academic career, but also in their professional life after they graduate.
Dr. Renzo Guinto, an expert on Planetary Health in the Philippines, talks about the importance of analyzing global health narratives and making sure that the views of the countries are being taken into consideration, especially for efforts surrounding planetary health and climate change in developing countries (Guinto, 2019). Therefore, in an academic setting where we are having conversations with students interested in global health work, it is vital to gather their narratives and their stories so we can best support their academic needs, such as internships and more inclusion within the university setting.
Student Perspectives on the Decolonization Panel Discussion
The Zuckerman College of Public Health has a diverse and international student body. Many students attended the panel discussion both in-person and online. Some of them shared their perspectives on the experience.
Cutberto Hernandez
MPH Student
“I left feeling inspired. I learned that decolonization is a difficult process, but it can be done if enough knowledge is disseminated and if enough people are informed about its effect on the world. I resonated with the sentiments made about the power imbalances present between LMICs and rich nations. As someone who has lived in two different countries, I am very happy to hear these conversations. As a future public health trained physician, I believe it is my duty to not only help my patients but also advocate for them. This panel inspired my desire to pursue medicine with a global health lens and ensure that health equity is achieved.”
Aurea Cunanan
MPH Student
“I really appreciated the conversation regarding history and necessary power redistribution. I was especially engaged by the discussion after the event was over. It was so nice to have one-on-one conversations with the panelists, they were so approachable and friendly and ready to discuss the topic at hand. The social aspect was nice as I've only attended a few of these events delivered by the college and it was exciting to be in a room with diverse students with diverse experiences and thoughts.”
Oluchi Joan Kanma-Okafor
PhD Student in Health Behavior Health Promotion
“The discussions were thought-provoking, and I gained valuable insights into the concept of decolonization. I learned that decolonization extends beyond mere political independence. It involves dismantling colonial structures, challenging Eurocentric perspectives, and empowering marginalized voices. Recognizing this broader context is crucial for achieving true equity. The panel highlighted the complexity of decolonization. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, it requires multifaceted approaches across various domains—education, healthcare, culture, and more. Addressing historical injustices and promoting inclusivity are essential steps.”
Raymond Yurika
PhD Student in Health Behavior Health Promotion
“From the Decolonization Panel, I learned that meaningful discourse on decolonization in global health necessitates amplifying the voices and perspectives of the colonized. This is crucial for understanding the full extent of colonial legacies and their impact on health outcomes worldwide. What resonated with me the most was the discussion on power dynamics within global health, where colonizing nations often wield disproportionate influence, perpetuating systemic agendas and institutions that uphold the status quo. Moving forward from the panel discussion, I am committed to supporting initiatives that prioritize empowering colonized countries and communities to address their own health challenges.”
Conclusion
The Decolonization in Global Health panel discussion brought together students, faculty, and staff for a lively discussion of the systemic colonial obstacles in global health, and the opportunities to more effectively engage and empower local expertise in global health research and practice. The discussion provided many insights and highlighted many challenges for the ongoing work towards a more equitable and inclusive approach to global health as we work together to build a healthier world.
