UNASUR Health: A quiet revolution in health diplomacy in South America

Abstract

Since the creation of Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), health policies became a strategic factor in South America to collectively balance the legacy of neoliberal policies in the region. The aim of this article is first to describe the social, political, and economic processes that explain the emergence of UNASUR and its focus on social policy through healthcare. We then analyze how by virtue of UNASUR’s Health Council, healthcare became the spearhead of cooperation giving way to novel forms of diplomacy. In so doing, this article contributes to a broader understanding of the regional health diplomacy and the process of 'unasurization' of health policies as the process of building a new health framework.

Citation

Herrero, M.B.; Diana Tussie, T. UNASUR Health: A quiet revolution in health diplomacy in South America. Global Social Policy (2015) 15 (3) 261-277. [DOI: 10.1177/1468018115599818]

UNASUR Health: A quiet revolution in health diplomacy in South America

Updates to this page

Published 1 January 2015