COVID Conversations

April 03, 2020

GHC-led virtual town halls provide a space for community dialogue on our collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members and partners discuss how to approach global health advocacy at such a critical moment and the short- and long-term challenges or opportunities.

March 31, 2020 Town Hall:

Our first discussion focused on how organizations are adjusting their advocacy messages or tactics, in light of current events. We heard directly from key speakers expanded on these topics and opened up a deeper discussion with participants to ask questions and share solutions on how their organizations are shifting their campaigns and narratives on other global health areas, such as maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health; HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria; NCDs and mental health; or health systems strengthening and innovation. CDC and USAID representatives also joined us in this conversation.

Moderator: Loyce Pace, MPH, President & Executive Director, Global Health Council

Speakers:
Traci L. Baird, President & CEO, Engender Health
Jamie Bay Nishi, Director, Global Health Technologies Coalition
Shannon Kellman, Policy Director, Friends of the Global Fight
Rebecca Martin, PhD, Director, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease and Control Prevention
Marian W. Wentworth, President & CEO, Management Sciences for Health

 

April 23, 2020 Town Hall:

In partnership with CORE Group and GHTC, GHC hosted a discussion on how COVID-19 is affecting existing U.S. global health programs and the implications it might have immediately and over time. Partners shared survey and real-time data from the community regarding how their programs are being affected on the ground and attendees heard remarks from leadership at USAID’s Bureau for Global Health.

Welcome from Loyce Pace, MPH, President & Executive Director, Global Health Council

Speakers:
Dr. Lisa Hilmi, Executive Director, CORE Group, regarding the preliminary impact of COVID-19 on existing U.S. global health programs
Alma Crumm Golden, MD, Assistant Administrator, USAID Bureau for Global Health
Monique Wubbenhorst, MD, Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID Bureau for Global Health (Update on the Sustained Crisis Response Team)

Response to pre-submitted and live questions by USAID leadership and senior staff

Closing remarks from Jamie Bay Nishi, Director, Global Health Technologies Coalition

 

April 28, 2020 Town Hall:

In partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation, GHC hosted a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of resource mobilization in response to COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Speakers shared updates on how organizations are responding to COVID-19 with an in-depth analysis of priority LMICs and COVID-19 funding trends.

Welcome from Michele Sumilas, Executive Director, Bread for the World, Global Health Council Vice Chair

Speakers:
Dr. Jennifer Kates, Senior Vice President & Director of Global Health & HIV Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation
Paurvi Bhatt, President, Medtronic Foundation
Dr. Gloria Ekpo, Senior Technical Advisor for HIV & AIDS, World Vision
Charles (Chip) Lyons, President & CEO, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Closing remarks from Nidhi Bouri, Deputy Executive Director & Chief of Staff, USAID COVID-19 Taskforce