Teaching About Global Health + Table of Contents

 What is global health?

To us, reporting on global health means telling stories about the most urgent public health crises as well as the slower moving, poverty induced, daily health challenges faced by millions. We report on causes, impacts, and solutions that know no borders. 

 Why does it matter? 

The world is more connected than ever and it’s easy to see what that means as an entire planet struggles to emerge from a pandemic, something that will require a global response. But beyond infectious disease threats, a globalized economy requires that no part of the world can be left behind. Yet in vast regions, poverty lies at the root of widespread suffering and both infectious and non-communicable disease, seriously undermining social harmony and driving conflict.

 How to teach with our reports

The short answer is in any way you see fit!

We suggest that you pick a report or topic, watch the video in class or assign it to your students. Then follow the discussion questions or write your own. Encourage your students to research beyond the piece. Find other examples of the issues reported on, analyze the characters that bring the story to life, or follow up on new developments since the story aired. Students can write their own reflections on the report, or analyze one of the many angles included in the story. 

Be creative! We would love to hear from you. Reach us at undertold@stthomas.edu to share how you’ve used our materials!

 

Table of Contents

COVID-19: India's Diaspora Doctors

This report highlights the efforts of Indian American doctors to help mitigate the COVID-19 crisis in India.

See the Story - Indian doctors in the US have deep ties to India. Here's how they're helping from afar

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

COVID-19: Vaccinating the Meatpackers

Nationwide 50,000 meatpackers have been infected with the coronavirus and some 250 have lost their lives, but efforts are being stepped up to vaccinate this community of frontline workers. 

See the Story - Meat-packing plants were the earliest COVID hotspots, but vaccinating workers isn't easy

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

COVID-19: Vaccines for Native Elders

Native Americans have been among the hardest-hit by COVID-19, but a history of medical mistreatment led some indigenous leaders to brace for challenges in vaccinating their communities.

See the Story - Health officials try to rebuild trust of vaccines among Indigenous Americans

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

COVID-19: Success in Senegal

A nation of 16 million Senegal has seen just over 17,000 covid cases—and a relatively low 355 deaths. This story explores Senegal's success in holding the pandemic at bay. 

See the Story - With few resources, Senegal emerges as a leader in the fight against COVID-19

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

Fighting for Pakistan's Babies

This report explores an effort to protect some of the most vulnerable patients in Pakistan: young children. 

See the Story - In Pakistan, 1 of 20 kids dies before age 5. This group is trying to change that

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

COVID-19: Enlisting Community Health Workers to Combat the Pandemic in India

To help spread awareness and keep tabs on the health of the poorest communities, India enlisted thousands of community health workers.

See the Story - Why India's coronavirus numbers probably underestimate the country's outbreak

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

Page COVID-19: Bangladesh and Brands

As COVID-19 spread in Bangladesh in the spring of 2020, cancelled contracts and factory closures left millions of garment workers furloughed and hungry.

See the Story - Densely populated Bangladesh faces immense infection control challenge

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

COVID-19: Agents for Change

We’ve covered Agents for Change all over the world, but in April of 2020 our flights were grounded from the coronavirus pandemic. We checked in via video call with past subjects of our stories in Cambodia, Thailand, Senegal and Pakistan.

See the Story - Agents for Change pivot to COVID-19

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

Keeping Ebola at Bay

In March 2019, eastern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo were suffering from the second-worst outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in history. This report covers measures neighboring Uganda was taking at its borders in an effort to keep Ebola out.

See the Story - Can Uganda block Ebola's spread from neighboring Congo? 

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt

An Island of Health

Health City Cayman Islands it is a new frontier for the for-profit chain founded 19 years ago by Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, an entrepreneur obsessed with efficient health care delivery and technology.

See the Story - How the Cayman Islands could become a new health care destination

This Story includes - 

  • Discussion Questions
  • A Writing Prompt