Global health. The current scenario and future perspectives

280 2003, the Ebola epidemic in 2014, the Zika virus outbreak in 2015, as well as ongoing challenges like the HIV/AIDS pandemic since the 1980s and the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009 underscored the potential threats posed by infectious diseases to national security, economic stability and political interests (Khazatzadeh-Mahani et al., 2020). The international community’s response to these crises, including reforms to the International Health Regulations and initiatives for international cooperation, has been scrutinized by researchers due to the potential negative impacts of some of these measures (Fidler & Drager, 2006; Owen & Roberts, 2005; Ruckert et al., 2017). The relationship between international politics and health can be understood through four general dynamics. First, foreign policy decisions can inadvertently harm population health, as evidenced by certain regional trade agreements that create access barriers for essential medicines in vulnerable countries in order to protect economic interests. Second, health is often used as a tool in international politics, like in Development Assistance (DA), where wealthier countries use aid to advance their own strategic interests and values rather than solely promoting better health outcomes in developing countries. Third, foreign policy can also be used to advance health objectives. While there is no consensus that health should be a singular objective of foreign policy, some countries have incorporated health considerations into their foreign policy decisions and recognize the interdependence of health outcomes between nations. Fourth, health can be integrated into a comprehensive international policy framework. The increasing focus on aid, the negative impact of unfair trade agreements on health indicators and concerns over sanitary issues related to national security (e.g., migration policies) reflect a paradigm shift towards including health considerations in foreign policy. The complexity of Global Health Diplomacy is further exemplified by the networked structure of international organizations currently addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. A detailed examination of the organizational landscape within these institutions can be found in a recent publication highlighting the intricate nature of this field (Haring, 2021). Understanding the implicit and explicit motivations behind Global Health Diplomacy, as well as analyzing the discourses and actions of different governments in this context, is crucial. An innovative study in which we participated sheds light on these questions from the perspective of a South American country.