THE BIG PICTURE

Better health for everyone

Event unites community, spotlights global efforts

The Global Health Scholars in Medicine program brought the world to the Medical Campus as part of its annual Global Health Week Sept. 23-27. An international fair on the Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza featured multicultural dancers, ethnic cuisine and a variety of artisan vendors.
 
Global Health Week offers fun and festivities — along with serious discussion about worldwide challenges — to inform, engage and inspire people to become involved in activities that foster better health for themselves and their neighbors. Representatives from across Washington University in St. Louis exchanged ideas with community partners, as events took place on the Danforth and Medical campuses and at the St. Louis Zoo. A speaker series examined wide-ranging issues — from implementation challenges in resource-poor settings to the AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa. The lineup included talks by Alfredo Palacio, the former president and health minister of Ecuador.
 
To kick off the week, the Global Health Scholars led hands-on service efforts at Food Outreach and City Academy in St. Louis. Students from many disciplines participated in the community service projects.
 
Additional Global Health Week sponsors included: the School of Engineering & Applied Science; the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government and Public Policy; the Gephardt Institute for Public Service; the Institute for Public Health; Assembly Series; Barnes-Jewish Hospital; Food Outreach; St. Louis College of Pharmacy; and the St. Louis Zoo. The event also was made possible through a partnership with Northwestern Mutual and the U.S. Army.