Lost in translation
The importance of addressing language inequities in global health security
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21878593 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alanna Fogarty (0009-0009-2366-5340, Georgetown University), Alanna S Fogarty (Georgetown University), Mohammed J Ahmed (Ministry of Health), Alexander G Linder (Georgetown University), Aso Zangana (Ministry of Health), Karim Muftin (Baghdad Medical City), Claire J Standley (0000-0002-4291-9723, Georgetown University), Erin M Sorrell (0000-0003-2456-4540, Johns Hopkins University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Pages | e014419 |
| Publication date | 2023-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | BMJ Global Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908 |
| Publisher | BMJ (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014419 |
| PMID | 38154812 |
| OpenAlex | W4390350856 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 7 |
Language inequities in global health stem from colonial legacies, and global health security is no exception. The International Health Regulations (IHRs), a legally binding framework published by the WHO, lay the foundation for global health security and state the roles and responsibilities States Parties are compelled to follow to improve their capabilities to prevent, detect and respond to potential public health emergencies of international concern. It includes the submission of a mandatory status report that assesses a nation’s implementation of IHRs. Known as the States Party Self-Assessment Annual Report (SPAR) tool, WHO has made its guidance document available in all six WHO official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). The Republic of Iraq (Iraq) experienced significant challenges during the completion and submission of the 2022 SPAR. This experience demonstrated that translation of English materials to other languages, such as Arabic, is not prioritised and further underscored how scoring of a country’s global health security capacities can be significantly impacted by users’ ability to read and comprehend the materials in English. Not only can this lead to inaccurate SPAR scoring, but it can also lead to the improper allocation of resources and prioritisation of policy developments and/or amendments. By drawing attention to this issue, we aim to inform and advocate for global health security decision-makers to consider opportunities for increasing inclusion and accessibility, especially for requirements under legally binding international instruments
Economic growth · Economics · Global health · Health care · Political science · Public health · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · Global Security and Public Health · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Public Administration · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research · Health Policy
| Highly cited | No |
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