Non-governmental organizations in international health: past successes, future challenges.
Non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, are increasingly instrumental to the implementation of international health programs. Following an overview of current conditions in global health and the problems that could be targeted by NGOs, this article describes the activities and philosophies of several representative approaches in this sector. The attributes of NGOs that increase their potential effectiveness are discussed, including ability to reach areas of severe need, promotion of local involvement, low cost of operations, adaptiveness and innovation, independence, and sustainability. A summary is provided of major future challenges in international health that may be addressed by NGOs, with particular emphasis on tobacco-related disease, communicable diseases and the AIDS epidemic, maternal mortality and women's health, injury prevention and control, and the need to secure durable financial support.
Gellert
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Project HOPE, Health Sciences Education Center, Millwood, VA 22646, USA.
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008119:Lobbying; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011057:Politics; D017149:Private Sector; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014837:Voluntary Health Agencies; D016387:Women's Health; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control