Where Foreign Aid Works

The Washington Post

Where Foreign Aid Works
Sunday, March 29, 2009; A14

The March 22 editorial "Plowshares for Peace" said that foreign aid "often doesn't do much good."

This broad statement overlooked the immense benefit of many foreign aid programs, particularly public health efforts that save lives, stave off epidemics and stabilize economies.

Consider the anti-tuberculosis campaign in Pakistan, where every year about 300,000 people develop TB and nearly 70,000 die from it. U.S.-funded global health programs have dramatically increased tuberculosis detection rates in Pakistan, and aid workers are making significant inroads in treating and preventing the spread of this curable airborne disease.

These efforts are directly related to the state of the global economy. The sickness and death caused by tuberculosis take a huge financial toll on the world economy and on personal family incomes, sending many self-sustaining families into poverty.

We need an expansive definition of foreign aid, one that envisions using global health programs as international medical diplomacy to win over hearts and minds in places such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.

CAROL D. HAMILTON

Durham, N.C.

The writer is co-chair of the scientific advisory committee for the Infectious Diseases Center for Global Health Policy and Advocacy.