Nongovernmental Agencies Involved in Global Issues

Assignment Preparation

This course has three assignments, in Units 3, 5, and 9. At the core of these is the requirement that you select a health issue with global implications—for example, infectious disease, AIDS or HIV, environmental health (sanitation, clean water, et cetera), reproductive health, mental health, chronic disease, refugee health, bioterrorism, epidemic and pandemic infections (SARS, Ebola, et cetera), and health consequences of natural disasters. Several examples are available in the 2010 World Health Organization document, “Equity, Social Determinants and Public Health Programmes [PDF].”

The health issue and the country (or countries) you choose to focus on is entirely your choice. The only restriction is that you focus on a global health issue that is being dealt with outside of the United States. We want you to have a global perspective of the problems faced by public health professionals around the world.

Examples of multilateral organizations that focus on global health:

• World Health Organization.
• The World Bank.
• UNICEF.
• USAID.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Doctors Without Borders.
• CARE International.

Spend some time in this unit researching and selecting the health issue you want to address. You will have to choose the health issue for your first assignment in Unit 3.

Week #3  assignment instructions

Nongovernmental Agencies Involved in Global Issues

Assignment Summary

Multiple government-funded agencies work to positively affect health disparities across the globe. It is important for doctoral-prepared nurses to be aware of nongovernment funding organizations (called NGOs) that are also having an effect on global health care issues.

NGOs originated with the formation of the United Nations in 1945. They are generally defined as nonprofit entities independent of governmental influence although they may receive government funding. The term NGO is not typically applied to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. “Generally, the NGO label is given to organizations operating on an international level, although some countries classify their own civil society groups as NGOs” (GrantSpace, n.d., para. 2).

In this assignment, you are tasked with interviewing an individual from an NGO of interest that works in some way within the realm of public or global health. If you are not already interested in such an organization, then it is acceptable to interview someone from your own organization who has a focus on public health and knowledge of working with NGOs. Ideally, you will have decided during Unit 2 how you were going to approach this. Remember that you should be looking for NGOs or population health considerations that are relevant to countries beyond just the United States.

Assignment Instructions 

Consider a health topic of choice and investigate what current NGOs are doing on behalf of your chosen topic. (Keep in mind that the country you focus on in this course should not be the United States.) Previously, in Unit 2, you were instructed to make contact with your chosen NGO, or population health professional with knowledge of NGOs, and interview them. After your interview, evaluate the NGO, paying special attention to its ability (and potential willingness) to get help with your health topic of choice. For your assignment make sure you are addressing the following:

• Differentiate public health NGOs from governmental public health organizations. 
• Provide a history of the selected organization.
• Examine the financial health of the organization including how much money the organization has raised for the selected program. 
• Include current data related to money raised, money distributed, and the impact on the health initiative.
• Identify countries where this organization has a presence.
• Explain how stakeholders and members are selected or join the organization.​
• Explain the advantages public health NGOs have over government-sponsored programs. 
• Compare NGOs to government-sponsored programs in terms of the following: 
• Donations sought and obtained.
• Funds distribution.
• Application for assistance.

• Summarize the challenges public health NGOs have in comparison with government-sponsored programs.
• Analyze the sufficiency of data available to meet the criteria that public health NGOs use to choose to get involved in a health issue.​ 
• Examine the determining criteria for this organization to get involved in a health issue, including, but not limited to: 
• How donations are sought and obtained.
• How funds are distributed.
• How application for assistance is made.
• Discuss how you would approach this agency for assistance.
• Explain how your research and interviewing experiences challenged or met your assumptions about public health organizations and delivery. 
• What surprised (or aligned with your expectations) about public health delivery?
• What surprised (or aligned with your expectations) about NGOs versus government-sponsored programs?
• How has this experience affected you?

Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.

Also, enter your hours spent interviewing and collecting data as practicum hours into CORE ELMS. Doing this is also part of your grade on this assignment.

Additional Requirements

Remember to include an introduction to your paper, which is not a heading of its own, and a reference page.

In addition, your paper should meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Written communication is free of spelling and grammatical errors that detract from the overall message. Writing is clear, precise, and scholarly. Concepts flow in a logical order. Page margins and page numbering are accurate, according to current APA guidelines for style and format.
• Length of paper: 3–5 double-spaced pages.
• References: At least four references from peer-reviewed sources. 
• Additionally, make sure you are appropriately using and citing relevant information from your interview
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Portfolio Prompt: You are required to save this learning activity to your ePortfolio.