Politics and Policies of Health Systems: Reflections on 50 Years of Observing Protests, Leaders, and Political Analysis

This commentary presents reflections on my work over the past five decades related to the politics and policies of health systems from various perspectives. The essay is based on a plenary lecture at the Seventh Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Bogota, Colombia, in November 2022. The commentary examines a central concern in many of my writings-and a persistent challenge for people working to improve public health: How can the powerless influence policy? Using examples drawn from my past writings, I discuss three broad themes related to this question: the role of social protest movements, the impact of political leadership, and the relevance of political analysis. These reflections are offered in the hope of expanding the use of applied political analysis in public health, and thus contributing to improved health and health equity in the world.

Automated summary

This commentary reflects on the author's work over the past five decades in the field of health systems politics and policies from various perspectives. It is based on a plenary lecture given at the Seventh Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Bogota, Colombia, in November 2022. The commentary discusses the persistent challenge of how the powerless can influence policy, examining the role of social protest movements, the impact of political leadership, and the relevance of political analysis. The author hopes that these reflections will contribute to the use of applied political analysis in public health and lead to improved health and health equity worldwide.