The new actors in the financing of global health: a critical analysis of the role of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

• Grant number: 14/24792-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: August 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Deisy de Freitas Lima Ventura
• Grantee: Juliana Gonçalves de Caires
• Host Institution: Instituto de Relações Internacionais (IRI). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 15/21789-7 - The role of the Gates Foundation in health financing in Latin America, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

The Economic globalization, the increase in the international migration and the recent international sanitary crises, especially the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic and Ebola, are some of the factors behind the increase in number and importance, of studies about global health. It has also been growing the demand of States, especially the least developed ones, in the field of promotion of public health programs. According to international law, global sanitary action should be coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO). In terms of financing, however, the WHO began, in recent decades, to suffer competition from other organizations, both public and private. This research aims to study the emergence of these new actors in global health, critically analyzing the specific case of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, considered today, by many authors, as one of the major donors of global health programs. The methodology of the research will consist in literature review and documentary research (particularly reports, account services and other accountability mechanisms) on the participation of WHO, the World Bank and the Gates Foundation in the financing of global health. At the end of the study, the objective is to assess the consequences of the current leadership of Bill Gates on the choice of priorities, the agenda of international cooperation and the effective allocation of these resources.