A report card for health

Chris Simms, assistant professor in the School of Health Administration, is a contributing author to Global Health Watch 2. (Contributed photo)

Global Health Watch 2 (GHW2), a report card on the status of health and health care around the world, is being launched at Dalhousie University. GHW2, an alternate perspective to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Report, provides a big-picture critique of current responses to global health inequities.

GHW2 is the result of broad collaboration of public health experts, non-governmental organizations, civil society activists, community groups, health workers and academics from 20 regions. Dalhousie University’s Dr. Chris Simms, an assistant professor in the School of Health Administration, is a contributing author.

“Global health has been a focus of much of my career,” says Dr. Simms, who has undertaken field research in countries throughout Africa and Asia, and worked with a variety of international organizations, including the WHO, the Canadian International Development Agency, and the European Union. “I am pleased to have made a contribution to fostering a better understanding of critical global issues.”

Dalhousie’s International Health Office and School of Health Administration are hosting a celebratory launch for GHW2 on Thursday, January 29 at 4 p.m. in the Dalhousie Arts Centre. Similar events have occurred in over 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, India, Zimbabwe, and Switzerland.

“The book will be an important resource for students and faculty at Dalhousie University”, says Shawna O’Hearn, director of Dalhousie’s International Health Office. “It helps to illustrate the link between global and local health issues.”

The event will also showcase other global health-related work completed by members of the Dalhousie community.

All members of the Dalhousie community including, faculty, staff, students, and the general public are invited to attend.  For more information and to RSVP, please contact the International Health Office at 494-8054 or by email at iho@dal.ca.