Mentorship is a cornerstone of the infrastructure that supports global health. Transferring knowledge, developing skills, and cultivating a supportive professional environment among researchers and physicians around the world are critical to achieving healthcare equity on a global scale.
For example, most people in Africa would now be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if the patented knowledge about the vaccine technology had been shared with African scientists and local pharmaceutical companies to produce a generic version. Although more than 95% of available doses have been used, less than 52% of the population has been fully vaccinated as of October 2023.
However, researchers from the Global South – countries in the Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, Asia and Oceania regions with limited resources and lower living standards – face challenges that hinder effective mentoring.
One reason is that mentorship is often hierarchical. Mentors, typically from the Global North or high-income countries, are often seen as more credible than mentees who usually come from the Global South. Mentees are often described as inexperienced and in need of training and guidance. Although mentorships are by definition hierarchical, it is believed that researchers from the Global South do not have the skills to adequately implement health programs or conduct research, and would benefit from greater experience from scientists from the Global North.
Hierarchical relationships, especially those between people from the Global North and the Global South, are not mutually beneficial or fair. Based on our personal experiences and research as public health researchers, statisticians and social scientists, we believe that cultural humility and equitable partnerships are key to effective global health projects.
Scientists from the Global North and the Global South can learn from each other. Decolonizing mentorship in global health, or addressing the historical power imbalance between researchers from the Global North and the Global South, can help advance global health for all.
Challenges in global health research
Some scholars have defined global health as “collaborative transnational research and action to promote health for all.” Historically, however, the concept of global health has been rooted in Western ideas about who is considered human. Europeans are portrayed as the norm or standard, while non-Europeans are portrayed as strange or inferior.
This hierarchy is ubiquitous in knowledge exchange and healthcare resource allocation between the Global North and the Global South. The European Union, for example, rejected proposals that would have allowed African countries, mainly former European colonies, to manufacture generic COVID-19 vaccines when the 55 million doses the West donated expired in February 2022.
Scientific collaborations between the Global North and the Global South are also unequal in power. Strikingly, most major global health institutions are located in the Global North, although the greatest burden of diseases such as HIV and malaria are concentrated in the Global South. Conferences where researchers gather to learn about new innovations in their fields and network typically take place in high-income countries. Few scholars from the Global South can attend the meeting due to travel restrictions and financial constraints, leaving them without guidance on how to navigate and make significant contributions to the field.
For example, several scholars from the Global South have noted how visa restrictions and fees affected their ability to attend global health conferences in high-income countries. But even having a visa does not guarantee easy access. Winifred Byanyima, executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, who is originally from Uganda, traveled to Montreal, Canada, to attend the world’s largest AIDS conference in 2022. her high position.
Furthermore, a lack of healthy mentorship cultures and support networks across institutions in low- and middle-income countries hinders the professional development of Global South scholars. Furthermore, some current mentorship frameworks and best practices are mainly aimed at high-income countries, where there is more institutional support.
Language and cultural barriers are often major obstacles for scientists in the Global South, hindering effective communication and collaboration. Colonialism, or the domination and exploitation of certain groups and individuals, has also influenced the way education and research is conducted in the Global South, so that researchers are discouraged from questioning their seniors. This can limit a scientist’s critical thinking and create communication barriers between mentees and mentors.
These hierarchical power dynamics also limit the full potential of intercultural learning and knowledge exchange between the Global North and the Global South.
Decolonizing global healthcare
A critical strategy for empowering Global South scholars is decolonizing mentorship. This means recognizing that people have different levels of skills and expertise in different contexts.
Mentorship environments characterized by humility and collaborative learning can help researchers break free from historical power imbalances. This includes recognizing and valuing the unique perspectives and experiences of scientists from local regions. For example, a researcher from the Global North may have more knowledge about a new technology, but a researcher from the Global South may know how to best adapt the technology locally. Tailoring mentorship programs to the specific needs of scientists in the Global South will also help cultivate a sense of inclusivity and belonging.
Recognizing and valuing linguistic diversity can help address language barriers. Establishing communication channels that allow for different languages would enable scientists to fully participate in the global health dialogue.
Finally, breaking the chains of colonial mentality can help to promote more egalitarian relationships in research. Mentors become facilitators of learning rather than disseminators of knowledge. Mentees become active contributors rather than consumers of knowledge. Challenging hierarchical relationships and power imbalances can enable a more collaborative and reciprocal dynamic that benefits both parties.
Decolonizing mentorship in global health is not a theoretical concept, but an actionable strategy. Addressing the unique challenges faced by researchers in the Global South can help bridge the global health gap, allowing local scientists to actively shape the future of the field and their communities.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization providing facts and analysis to help you understand our complex world.
It was written by: Oluwafemi Atanda Adeagbo, University of Iowa; Brenda Yankam, University of Nigeriaand Engelbert Bain Luchuo, University of Johannesburg.
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Oluwafemi Atanda Adeagbo receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Iowa
Brenda Yankam and Engelbert Bain Luchuo do not work for, consult with, own stock in, or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.