Obama highlights global health and innovation in State of the Union address

While others were playing State of the Union bingo or creating pretty word clouds, GHTC was closely watching the State of the Union address to see what President Barack Obama would say about US engagement in global health and America’s leadership in science and innovation.

GHTC was glad to see the President highlight American involvement in combatting Ebola and underscore the need for a more effective global effort to address future health crises. Obama said:

“In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses and healthcare workers are rolling back Ebola — saving countless lives and stopping the spread of disease. I couldn’t be prouder of them, and I thank this Congress for your bipartisan support of their efforts. But the job is not yet done — and the world needs to use this lesson to build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.”

The President also emphasized how American investments in research and innovation have saved lives and contributed to the economy. He said:

“21st century businesses will rely on American science, technology, research, and development. I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine — one that delivers the right treatment at the right time.”

GHTC was pleased to see America’s Commander-in-Chief draw attention to the US role in advancing innovation to save lives.

For more information on why US policymakers should invest in global health research and development, check out our recent blog post, “10 reasons why US policymakers should support global health research and development.”