Promoting Positive Outcomes for Global Society
What you must understand
Global health involves SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing) and its links to poverty, education, water and sanitation, gender equality and climate action. Candidates should understand sustainable development, aid effectiveness, globalisation, health inequity between and within countries, antimicrobial resistance, vaccine equity, and planetary health.
Know the roles of WHO, UNICEF, NGOs and national governments, and the difference between bilateral and multilateral aid, and emergency relief versus long-term development. Effective aid is locally led, aligned with national priorities, accountable and sustainable rather than creating dependency.
Traps in questions
- Treating global health as only infectious disease; non-communicable diseases and mental health are major burdens.
- Describing low-income countries only through deficits; recognise local knowledge and health workers.
- Confusing short-term relief with development; they have different goals.
- Ignoring equity within countries - national averages hide inequality.
Rule of thumb
Link any global issue to at least two SDGs and one practical response, then note a limitation of that response.
Worked example
Question: How can climate change affect global health equity? Strong answer: “Climate change drives heat, extreme weather, food and water insecurity and displacement. Low-income countries contribute least to emissions but are most exposed, widening inequity. Responses include adaptation funding and resilient health systems, though financing and governance remain limited.”