Global Health Governance: International Law and Public Health in a Divided World, by Aginam, Obijiofor

Abstract

History is replete with epidemics that have decimated ever larger populations, from the Plague of Athens in 430 B.C., to the global swine flu of 1918-9, to AIDS and the dire modern predictions surrounding H-5N1. Due to the rapid pace of globalization, the world is fast becoming a global germ pool. Diseases, such as tuberculosis, that used to be restricted geographically are now striking regions once thought to be safe; an outbreak anywhere is now a threat everywhere. In Global Health Governance: International Law and Public Health in a Divided World, Dr. Obijofor Aginam engages the root causes of public health failures throughout the world. These include underdevelopment, the legacy of colonialism, and poverty, which according to the WHO is the world’s leading cause of ill health and suffering. This perspective is shared by Kofi Annan, arguing that the best cure for disease is economic growth and broad-based development. Dr. Aginam approaches these international public health topics through the lens of international law combining critical analytical and qualitative approaches to explore global health challenges in a divided world.

Keywords: international public health, public health, world health organization, disease