Collaborations in global health often aim to address specific public health needs in low-resource settings but are often impacted by power imbalances between participants. These hierarchies can limit the involvement of individuals from low-resource settings in decision-making processes and can lead to outcomes that favor those with higher resources. A new study conducted by investigators from Yale School of Medicine and the University of Liberia’s College of Health Services examines the experiences of collaborators in post-war, post-Ebola Liberia.
Through interviews with participants, researchers found that the power to set priorities for global health work was primarily held by those with financial resources, with plans being implemented to meet the expectations of donors. Factors contributing to this power imbalance included the donor’s history of engagement, as well as their levels of transparency and accountability. The study emphasizes the need to address accountability in global health partnerships to promote greater equity for participants in low-resource settings.
The study titled “Exploring equity in global health collaborations: a qualitative study of donor and recipient power dynamics in Liberia,” by Cakouros et al., published in BMJ Global Health sheds light on this issue and provides valuable insights into how to promote more equitable global health partnerships. For more information on this study, visit .