Role of Diplomacy in Achieving Global Health Security: a Case Study of the East Africa Community

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to examine the role of diplomacy in achieving the global health security with a specific focus on health security in East Africa. The specific objectives were to examine the role of international diplomacy in achieving global health security, to investigate the role of diplomatic policies and regulations on health security in East Africa, and to evaluate the diplomatic challenges compromising health security outcomes in East Africa. This study adopted systematic review because it targets a wide scope of data. This proposal targeted a wide scope of study population including, NGOs like UNICEF, Community health workers, the Ministry of Health in East Africa Community countries. The reason for selecting them is because they have wide a versed knowledge in relation to the role of diplomacy in achieving the global health security with a specific focus on health security in East Africa. This study used both stratified and purposive sampling techniques so that biasness is limited while at the same time ensuring comprehensive and credible data is collected from the study population. Stratification ensures that the correct demographic aspects are considered and balanced while choosing the people to sample from the study population. This research used a questionnaire for respondents who can read and write comfortably in English while face to face interviews were used for respondents who may not be comfortable reading and writing in English or may who may prefer face to face interviews over questionnaires. The data collected was processed into a form that can be analyzed by descriptive Statistical analysis through Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 23. The processing involved cleaning and coding of the qualitative raw data. Coding helps with transforming the data into quantitative format so that qualitative analysis can be done. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the information on health status within the sample of the study population. Analyzed data was presented using graphs and pie charts. The study found that majority (78%) of the respondents indicated that health diplomacy is important in the wellbeing of the people in various nations while 22% were of the contrary opinion. The study found that majority (75%) of the respondents indicated that existing public policy and regulation approaches in Africa influenced health security which depicted that existing public policy and regulation approaches in Africa influenced health security. The study found that 49% of the respondents indicated to a great extent that diplomatic challenges influenced health security. The study concluded that majority of the respondents indicated that health diplomacy is important in the wellbeing of the people in various nations. The study also concluded that to a great extent that international diplomacy has promoted health security. Global health has become more multidimensional, with ties between health and other disciplines including international commerce and proprietary rights, agriculture, schools, and the environmental becoming more prevalent. According to the study, governments must respond to health demands and develop comprehensive measures to integrate the two prominent society’s in a way that is responsive to a rapidly changing global environment.