The study by investigators from Yale School of Medicine and the University of Liberia’s College of Health Services highlights the impact of power imbalances on global health collaborations in low-resource settings. Through interviews with participants, researchers found that those with financial resources held the power to set priorities for global health work, with plans being implemented to meet the expectations of donors. The study emphasizes the need to address accountability in global health partnerships to promote greater equity for participants in low-resource settings.
The authors note that factors contributing to this power imbalance include the donor’s history of engagement, as well as their levels of transparency and accountability. This is particularly concerning in post-war and post-Ebola Liberia, where there are significant disparities in resources and opportunities for involvement in decision-making processes. By addressing these issues, global health collaborations can become more equitable and effective at addressing public health needs in low-resource settings.
The study by Cakouros et al., titled “Exploring equity in global health collaborations: a qualitative study of donor and recipient power dynamics in Liberia,” was published in BMJ Global Health. For more information on this study, visit