Medical diplomacy

Medical diplomacy or public health diplomacy is a form of diplomacy. It is the provision of medical assistance or aid for the purpose of furthering national goals. It is often considered to be a form of soft power but it has various harder aspects.

History

Medical diplomacy related to the COVID-19 epidemic was often termed “mask diplomacy” due to surgical masks being the primary good transferred.

By country

Cuba

Main article: Cuban medical internationalism

Medical diplomacy is a cornerstone of Cuban foreign policy. Cuba has engaged in medical diplomacy since the 1960s.

China

The Chinese hospital ship Daishan Dao has engaged in a number of medical diplomacy missions. China’s support of the WHO has also been framed as medical diplomacy.

Taiwan

Taiwan has engaged in medical diplomacy since 1961. Under the New Southbound Policy Taiwan is focusing on providing high-level professional skill transfers instead of direct medical care or basic public health programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has ramped up its efforts and donated millions of masks to its diplomatic allies as well as close friends across the world. It also launched a hospital ship through the Pacific, providing ventilators and masks to countries unable to obtain medical help from other sources, like Palau.

USA

In the United States medical diplomacy is handled both by the State Department section for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs as well as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Global Affairs. The United States also practices medical diplomacy as part of defense diplomacy.

See also

• Economic diplomacy
• Public diplomacy