What Do Global Health Practitioners Think about Decolonizing Global Health?

The growing awareness of colonialism’s role in global health partnerships between HICs
and LMICs and the associated calls for decolonization in global health has led to discussion
for a paradigm shift that would lead to new ways of engagement and partnerships, as
well as an acknowledgement that colonialism, racism, sexism, and capitalism contribute
to inequity. While there is general agreement among those involved in global health
partnerships that the current system needs to be made more equitable, suggestions
for how to address the issue of decolonization vary greatly, and moving from rhetoric
to reform is complicated. Based on a comprehensive (but not exhaustive) review of the
literature, there are several recurring themes that should be addressed in order for the
inequities in the current system to be changed. The degree to which decolonization of
global health will be successful depends on how the global health community in both the
HICs and LMICs move forward to discuss these issues. Specifically, as part of a paradigm
shift, attention needs to be paid to creating a more equal and equitable representation
of researchers in LMICs in decision-making, leadership roles, authorship, and funding
allocations. There needs to be agreement in defining basic principles of best practices for
global partnership, including a universal definition of ‘decolonization of global health’; the
extent to which current policies allow the perpetuation of power imbalance between HICs
and LMICs; a set of principles, best practices, and models for equitable sharing of funds
and institutional costs among partners; a mechanism to monitor progress prospectively
the equitable sharing of credits (e.g., leadership, authorship), including a set of principles,
best practices, and models; and, a mechanism to monitor progress prospectively the
extent to which decolonialization will contribute to strengthening institutional capacity
in the LMIC institutions.