Global public goods and health: taking the agenda forward

We examined recent special health initiatives to control HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, and make four policy recommendations for improving the s ustainability of such initiatives. First, international cooperation on heal th should be seen as an issue of global public goods that concerns both poo r and rich countries. Second, national health and other sector budgets shou ld be tapped to ensure that global health concerns are fully and reliably f unded; industrialized countries should lead the way. Third, a global resear ch council should be established to foster more efficient health-related kn owledge management. Fourth, managers for specific disease issues should be appointed, to facilitate policy partnerships. Policy changes in these areas have already begun and can provide a basis for further reform.