Lancet Medical Journal features the legacy of Carl Taylor and Jim Grant in Improving Child Health
The late Dr. Carl Taylor is remembered with an obituary in this month's issue of Lancet, one of the world's leading medical journals. In addition, the Lancet features a posthumous piece by Dr. Taylor on the legacy of Jim Grant, Director of UNICEF from 1980-1995.
In this piece entitled What Would Jim Grant Say Now?, Dr. Taylor summarizes three types of interventions for improving primary health:
- technical (e.g., immunizations)
- behavioral (e.g., handwashing)
- empowerment (e.g., women's action groups)
The need now, he writes, is a blending of the three with more attention on empowerment interventions, which are essential for addressing the two hardest challenges in health and development: sustainability and equity. According to Dr. Taylor,
"Our greatest mistake has been to oversimplify the Alma-Ata vision of primary health care. Real social change occurs when officials and people with relevant knowledge and resources come together with communities in joint action around mutual priorities. The interplay between comprehensive (horizontal) and selective (vertical) approaches requires careful blending. It is my conviction that, if Jim were here now, he would champion this blending, adapted to the local context with a focus on communities, to ignite the next child survival and development revolution."
Dr. Taylor served as senior health advisor of Future Generations from 1992 until his death, and from 2004-2006 served as Country Director of Future Generations Afghanistan.
A full link to Dr. Taylor's obituary is available on Lancet's website by clicking <here>.
