Health after hegemony: global health in the America First era

Back to news list

Source: BMJ

Original: http://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s169.short?rss=1...

Published: 2026-01-29T02:51:06-08:00

The US launched the America First Global Health Strategy, which transforms global health toward national security and bilateral influence instead of universalist principles.[1][2] Previous programs, such as the President's Emergency AIDS Relief Plan, combined expertise with solidarity and saved millions of lives.[1] The new strategy prioritizes control of supply chains and US interests through multi-year bilateral agreements with clear objectives.[1][3] The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of multilateral coordination as countries applied export restrictions and stockpiled in their own interests.[1] Multilateral institutions serve as negotiation arenas rather than engines of solidarity.[1] Strategic pillars include strengthening global surveillance to detect outbreaks within seven days, building government capacity, and supporting American health innovation.[1] Fragmentation opens up space for new leadership, such as an African public health order coordinated by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[1]