Fall 2024 message from Madhu Pai, Director, GHP
Welcome to a new academic year! Last week, I had the wonderful chance to speak to incoming McGill students during Orientation. I shared with them that the finest motivation to engage in global health is to develop a ‘global state of mind’ and practice global solidarity & citizenship. That group of young people energized me like nothing else. I hope you will start this new academic year as excited and ready to tackle the many polycrises we are facing these days.
Currently, the world is experiencing the highest number of conflicts since World War II. The devastating wildfires in Jasper are a telling reminder of the accelerating climate crisis and the need to act urgently. We are also dealing with Mpox in Africa, yet another public health emergency of international concern. Will Global North nations repeat history and close borders and hoard resources instead of showing solidarity and allyship? Will the fruits of science again reach only the rich and the privileged?
No country can solve polycrisis on its own. Global solidarity and global citizenship are critical for our collective survival. To tackle polycrisis, we also need to realize how unequal our world is with the richest 1.5% owning almost half of the world’s wealth. Most of you reading this message get to enjoy the highest living and educational standards worldwide. As privileged people in a high-income country in the Global North, we have a huge responsibility, an obligation, to use our power and privilege, as allies, to address the deeply entrenched inequities and power differentials.
While this notion of responsibility can seem overwhelming when starting a new year, it is also a strong reminder that we can all act, do something concrete in our communities, and derive hope from collective action.
I often get emails from past McGill students who tell me how a course, scholarship, involvement in a club or an advocacy campaign changed their career path. I also read about dozens of people working on the ground in practical ways to advance health equity via the nominees for the inaugural Paul Farmer Award for Global Health Equity. I am excited for you to meet the first awardee later this year.
But you are probably asking what can I do now? How can I get involved? Since McGill is an institution of learning, you can begin by joining the McGill Global Health community by joining a club, taking a global health class, attending our Global Health Night and other events, and applying for our many scholarships and travel awards. Take advantage of the opportunities offered, even if you feel your field of study is too far from global health. We need everyone to tackle health inequalities.
Dr. Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD, FRSC
Inaugural Chair, Department of Global & Public Health
McGill University
