Date of Award

Fall 12-11-2024

Document Type

Research Paper

Department

Whittier Scholars Program

First Advisor

Roger White

Second Advisor

Creley Scott

Abstract

My project explores the intersection of technology, governance, and global health through the World Bank's effect on national health policies. Specifically, it examines how the Bank's financial instruments, knowledge dissemination, and governance reforms shape the health systems of growing countries. Drawing on contemporary and historical cases, the project critiques the economic-driven model, repeatedly prioritizing cost-efficiency over equity of health, showing the tensions between global financial imperatives and the need for local health. The project emphasizes the World Bank's growing role in the global health landscape by examining key reports such as the introduction of global health trust funds and Investing in Health (1993). While the Bank has been instrumental in fostering technical knowledge and mobilizing resources, its method has been challenged by criticisms of imposing privatized, market-driven models on vulnerable populations, exacerbating health inequities. Through a qualitative study of policy and literature documents, the project reaches for reimagining the Bank's role and demands a shift for strategies that incorporate health equity with economic development. Future research should focus on the local impacts of the Bank's financial interventions and how these strategies can be redesigned to better serve individual nations' health priorities while balancing global development goals with regional realities. Ultimately, my project aims to contribute to ongoing discussions about the significance of international financial associations in shaping national health systems and to deliver actionable insights for global health organizations and policymakers striving to balance governance, financing, and equity in global health initiatives.

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