Beyond Politics: A New Era in Global Health Strategy

Published October 6, 2026 · Featuring Dr. Alma Golden of Institute for Women's Health

Dr. Alma Golden of the Institute for Women's Health discusses global health strategies and the Geneva Consensus Declaration's impact on maternal and child healt

Dr. Alma Golden, a Global Health Consultant at the Institute for Women's Health, discusses Global Health Strategy, Maternal Child Health, Healthcare Access, and Women's Health in the latest episode of the Health Policy Podcast. The conversation explores the importance of local priorities in global health initiatives.

WASHINGTON — October 6, 2026 — Dr. Alma Golden, a pediatrician and public health expert, joined the Health Policy Podcast to discuss the evolving landscape of global health strategy, focusing on maternal child health, healthcare access, and the role of women's health in international policy. The episode highlights how funding conditions can impact health outcomes in various countries.

Dr. Golden emphasized the importance of understanding local needs and priorities in health initiatives. "What can the country develop that they know is their priority and develop systems of care that are in line with what they really need?" she said. This perspective reflects a shift from previous administrations' approaches, which often tied funding to specific ideological mandates.

The discussion also covered the Geneva Consensus Declaration, which aims to respect national sovereignty in health decisions. Dr. Golden noted, "One of the big ones that kept coming up is that some groups would offer to give money as long as you would provide abortions in the country." This approach can alienate countries and hinder effective healthcare delivery.

Dr. Golden further highlighted the significance of family in health systems. "The family is the first healthcare system," she stated, underscoring the role of supportive family structures in improving health outcomes, particularly in maternal and child health.

The Institute for Women's Health focuses on advancing women's health through research, education, and advocacy, promoting comprehensive care that respects individual and cultural needs.

About the Health Policy Podcast

The Health Policy Podcast covers topics related to energy, infrastructure, policy, and economic growth, providing insights from experts in the field to inform listeners about current health policy issues.

About Institute for Women's Health

The Institute for Women’s Health (IWH) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of women throughout every stage of life. Through policy initiatives, practical programs, and partnerships, IWH works with governments, healthcare professionals, and community organizations to address women’s health challenges in the United States and around the world. Its work focuses on improving access to care, strengthening families, and helping countries implement sustainable solutions that support women’s long-term health.

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About the Guest

Dr. Alma Golden — Global Health Consultant

Peter Pitts is President and co-founder of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. He also serves as a Visiting Professor at University of Paris School of Medicine. Pitts lives in New York City Professor Pitts is a former member of the United States Senior Executive Service and Associate Commissioner of the US Food & Drug Administration where he served as senior communications and policy adviser to the Commissioner. He supervised FDA's Office of Public Affairs, Office of the Ombudsman, Office of Special Health Issues, Office of Executive Secretariat, and Advisory Committee Oversight and Management. He served on the agency’s obesity working group and counterfeit drug taskforce. He is a member of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) Expert Working Group to help advance patient involvement in the development and safe use of medicines. (CIOMS is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization established jointly by WHO and UNESCO in 1949.) He is the lead author of many professional peer reviewed publications including the Lancet, Therapeutic Innovation and Regulatory Science, and Nature Biotechnology. He is an Associate Editor of Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science (the official DIA journal), a member of the External Advisory Board, IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics in Asia, Executive Advisory Board, the Galien Foundation, Editorial Advisory Board, Food and Drug Policy Forum, Advisory Board, Journal of Commercial Biotechnology and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of The Patient Magazine.

About the Health Policy Podcast

The Health Policy Podcast hosts conversations on energy, infrastructure, policy and economic growth — interviewing the operators, regulators, and innovators powering America's grid, gas, nuclear, and industrial future. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.