Overview
Part A Answer all the questions (40 Marks)
Word Count: 1000– 1500 words
1.
Recently, many countries impose higher trade tariffs and stricter migration controls. What would be the effect of these developments on global health? Justify your answer with relevant arguments and suitable references.
2.
Please present the fundamental health Ethics principles and discuss why they are important in medical and policy settings. Ideally, please offer examples. Is there any emerging Ethics area that you believe should be covered by Ethics more explicitly?
3.
When it comes to pandemics, what legal responsibilities do multinational corporations in the healthcare sector have in terms of ensuring access to essential medicines, and how can these obligations be enforced globally?
4.
Discuss the IHR Operational Framework. How was this applied in the Covid Pandemic? Any areas for improvement according to your opinion?
Part B (50 Marks) Word Count: 2000 -2500 words
Case Study: U.S. Health Policy Shift – Trump Administration and Cuts to Medicaid & Medicare
Background:
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has recently reduced the funding for Medicaid and Medicare, two essential public health programs in the United States.
Medicaid provides health coverage to low-income individuals and families.
Medicare serves people aged 65+ and those with certain disabilities.
The proposed cuts were part of broader plans to reduce federal spending and shift health care responsibilities more heavily to states and individuals, consistent with the administration’s belief in a free-market approach to health care.
Critics argued the cuts would increase uninsured rates, reduce access to care, and worsen health inequities, especially among the elderly, disabled, and low-income populations.
Supporters claimed the cuts would encourage state-level innovation, reduce waste, and make federal health programs more sustainable.
Although the United States is not party to a binding international health care treaty, its actions have implications under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) – Article 12 recognizes the right to the highest attainable standard of health. While the U.S. signed but did not ratify ICESCR, the principle of the right to health is widely accepted in international law.
Discussion Questions:
1.
How might funding reductions in public health programs affect vulnerable populations?
2.
What international human rights standards, even if non-binding, are relevant in evaluating U.S. domestic health policy?
3.
Can domestic health policy decisions in high-income countries have global health implications? If so, how?
4.
Is it ethical for a government to reduce public health spending while at the same time they spend in excess of 150 billion US dollars for a single new military program of air defence (Golden Dome).