IDIE’s Associate Professor Meru Sheel spoke to the Development Intelligence Lab’s The Intel highlighting the significant yet often overlooked impact of global aid cuts on health systems in the Indo-Pacific region. While these cuts may be smaller in scale compared to other regions, they have led to disruptions in humanitarian aid and emergency response efforts, as noted in a World Health Organization report. Sheel emphasised that the erosion of health systems not only jeopardises immediate health outcomes but also undermines long-term development goals. She advocates for Australia to play a proactive role in strengthening regional health systems by investing in sustainable health infrastructure and ensuring that health remains a central focus in development initiatives.
Discover how Australia’s engagement can shape the future of health in the Indo-Pacific— read the full article here.