The MUSC Center for Global Health launched its new website to serve as a resource to all those interested in global issues.

Kathleen Ellis, operations director for the Center for Global Health, said that the website was needed as a way to link the broad range of faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars and students involved in education, service and research projects around the globe.

The Center for Global Health's website (http://globalhealth.musc.edu/) features an interactive map.

"As part of the university's strategic plan, we felt it was important to provide a forum for people to make connections, learn from each other and build collaborations as well as offering a place to easily find information on international travel, checklists, funding opportunities and other relevant resources."

People have a lot of questions about health and safety issues, how to start an international project, what funding agencies or resources exist and if there are any other faculty in the same part of the world. The hope is that the site will be a great resource tool to address some of these initial questions, but even more importantly, that it serves as a platform to spark future collaborations across campus, she said.

One of her favorite features is an interactive map which highlights active MUSC-sponsored projects and the searchable database of faculty and staff who responded to the center's
campuswide surveys.

"We built these features so users can search by country, global health issue, medical specialty or project type. We wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to connect with others who have common interest, whether they are looking to collaborate with another colleague on diabetes research or partner across campus to offer educational programs in China."

Other features are:

• A resource center for international travel information, funding and research opportunities
• Global health education information
• Interactive news and events page
  

The importance of globalization is becoming increasingly apparent. In the last five years, more than 70 universities throughout the U.S. have formed global health centers to address this issue. MUSC's doctors, nurses, researchers, students and faculty are benefitting from unique opportunities to partner and learn from colleagues across the globe and expand their understanding of global challenges and learning new ways of delivering health services, she said.
Chronic non-communicable diseases that are a major concern for South Carolinians, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes – now are responsible for 60 percent of all deaths worldwide. In Brazil and South Africa, for example, cardiovascular disease is the cause of nearly twice as many deaths as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.

"We live in a global world — that's our reality. When most people hear the words 'global health,' they think of health problems that affect developing countries, but as a world, we are starting to look more and more the same in terms of the health problems we face."

Ellis encourages anyone at MUSC interested in global health work to contact the center, tell about their global health work, share photos, and join the center on Flickr and Facebook. The long-term plan is to build a global community of students and faculty reporters from the field who weigh in on important global health issues and advances.

For more information email ellisk@musc.edu or visit http://globalhealth.musc.edu/.