Self-Reflection as a Starting Point: Observations in Global Health Research

INTRODUCTION

In 2020, Seye Abimbola pictured a world in which global health will be completely decolonized, with research led by those closest to the largest global problems and academic institutes in the Global South as influential as in the Global North.¹ Unfortunately, such a world is still far away. As researchers and physicians with experience in global health research in collaborative settings, we reflect on our work and the current state of collaboration between the global North and South.

We were trained as Physicians Global Health and Tropical Medicine, a post-medical school training in the Netherlands—unique for any high-income setting—that, among other career perspectives, prepares doctors to work as generalists in low-resource settings.² Trainees are encouraged to reflect on their role and position and engage in clinical evaluations and research, aiming to solve locally emerging questions. Consequently, many combine clinical work and scientific research, sometimes leading to a doctoral degree.³ This practice has led to substantial collaborative research networks, with 2 endowed chairs in the field of safe motherhood and sexual reproductive health and rights in the country.

Within this collaboration, there are ample opportunities for researchers from the Global South to lead or participate in research projects and obtain further education and academic degrees at a Dutch university or elsewhere. However, while such opportunities are increasing, there is still considerable inequity between researchers from Global North and South in terms of …