Supporting Global Health at the Pediatric Department Level: Why and How

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, involvement in pediatric global health (GH), the study and practice of improving the health of children worldwide, has evolved from an extracurricular activity to a robust academic pursuit that enhances the clinical, educational, and research missions of academic health centers (Fig 1). As evidenced by the paradigm shift laid out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which focus on the health of all people worldwide, GH is no longer a field constrained by arbitrary borders.1 Likewise, pediatric departments seeking to expand knowledge, train pediatricians, or improve care for children through research and innovation must be concerned with the health of all children and addressing health equity, which by definition, implies GH work.2 This article aims to provide pediatric department leadership with the background and action steps necessary to respond to the call that support for GH should not be a luxury limited to a few elite institutions but a core part of pediatric education and research across the country.3