Strategies for Instituting Sustainable Policy: A Conversation with Dr. Deus Bazira
On February 11th, 2020, the Conversations in Global Health course welcomed Dr. Deus Bazira, Co-Director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Practice and Impact (CGHPI), to reflect on his career path and provide insights into health care policy. Born in Uganda, Dr. Bazira’s naturally inquisitive demeanor led him to pursue a Bachelor’s in Pharmacy, Master’s in Public Health, Master’s in Business Administration, and a Doctorate from universities around the world. He epitomizes the mindset of a lifelong learner, and his desire to expand his skillset is never satiated: “I have the confidence to know what I know, and what I don’t know.”
Dr. Bazira’s years of experience in various health systems and policy arenas aided in lending wisdom to those interested in a career in global health. He stressed the pertinence of engaging with individual community voices and truly understanding a health care system before working to improve it. Without a thorough knowledge of a health care system, it is impossible to discern the needs and best practices for that community. Local stakeholders must be involved at all levels of policy decisions to effectively instigate sustainable change. Dr. Bazira’s emphasis on uplifting local voices has been the catalyst for many of his successes, such as his work on the implementation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that resulted in 90% virological suppressionamong people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral treatment through Center for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity programs.
I found Dr. Bazira’s insights on the role of the private sector in leveraging health service delivery in developing countries particularly informative for future policymakers. Ideally, he envisions the private health sector as well-regulated, healthy competition to the public health sector that alleviates some of the burden on public health systems in many developing countries. While Dr. Bazira recognizes that private, for-profit health facilities can bar vulnerable populations from care, the role of sustainable market incentivesfor the private sector to engage in public health initiatives must not be understated. However, the crux of any private health sector involvement is sufficient regulatory frameworks to ensure optimal quality of care.
Dr. Bazira’s vigor for instituting measurable change in health systems left everyone in the room inspired. Ultimately, this conversation reinstated my passion for why I wanted to study global health in the first place and allowed me to reflect on how I can use my position to most sustainably and effectively serve those around me.
Cameron Kelly (C ‘21) is an undergraduate studying Biology of Global Health and Spanish. She is also a research assistant for the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.