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As a doctor, non-profit leader, and policy expert, Vanessa Kerry MD has strived for more than 20 years to improve health and wellbeing for populations in-need. She shared some advice and perspective from those experiences with the Emmanuel community as part of the Global & Public Health speaker series on Oct. 8th.
Speaking to students, faculty, and alumni at the Library Lecture Hall, Dr. Kerry recalled a journey that started with her providing desperately needed services in Africa as a medical student. She saved lives, but soon realized larger-scale solutions were needed. In 2011 she co-founded Seed Global Health, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to quality care where it’s needed most.
“This is not about aid,” said Dr. Kerry. “This is about transformation of healthcare delivery, of global aid systems, of how we think about health, wellbeing, and what is actually possible.”
The Emmanuel Global & Public Health program was launched in the fall of 2024 as an interdisciplinary major that blends science, social science, and the humanities to teach unique skillsets that can address the complex array of factors that support or detract from public health in the 21st century.
Dr. Kerry is a believer in the discipline, having earned a masters degree in public health after finishing medical school. She credited that experience with giving her a broader, more systemic viewpoint on healthcare. Over the course of her lecture, Dr. Kerry described how Seed brings a wide range of skills to bear on improving healthcare.
Investing in the healthcare workforce is central to Seed’s efforts. Their work is focused on sub-Saharan Africa, which has 24 percent of the world’s disease burden and only 3 percent of the global health workforce.
Seed works to reduce that shortfall through a combination of education, practice, and policy. The nonprofit works closely with governments, educational institutions, and providers to build infrastructure for sustainable and locally led change. As a result, Seed has helped train more than 45,000 doctors, nurses, and midwives in the region since 2012.
“Every health worker that we train creates a ripple effect: treating patients, mentoring peers, strengthening institutions, and building systems that last,” said Dr. Kerry.
The policy aspect of Seed’s work is key, in that it creates support for the education and training. As someone who was always concerned about international health conditions, Dr. Kerry learned over time that economic arguments are often the most impactful, and cited the impacts of climate change as one example. As a Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health for the World Health Organization, it’s an issue she’s well-versed in, and she listed climate change as an accelerant for everything from poor air quality absenteeism to natural disasters; all of which cost businesses in money and lost productivity. Pandemics and uncontrolled disease outbreaks are also expensive, with COVID costing the United States economic more than $14 trillion.
“Turns out there’s a link between health and economics,” said Dr. Kerry. “Poor health costs us.”
“Prevention is far cheaper than response,” she added.
Dr. Kerry also addressed recent policy shifts that are confronting public health efforts, noting the United States and other major players are cutting or scaling back international support for public health. While she did not agree with that course of action, Dr. Kerry said it also creates an opportunity to build a more equitable and effective system; one that is aligned with the health goals established by local governments. She also encouraged students to get involved and do what they can for global public health.
“You are all so well equipped for this moment and I'm inviting you to step into it,” said Dr. Kerry. “The greatest satisfaction comes from the struggle, from the moments of success, from the work and the connections that we make with each other. And remember the power of listening and real communication; at the end of the day, I still believe we all want the same things.”
Dr. Kerry was the third guest lecturer hosted by the Global & Public Health program since last October. The previous guest speakers focused on healthcare disparities worldwide and the power of data to help drive better policy.
