Global Health: From Colonial Medicine to Planetary Health

French medicine's global reach began with colonial expansion but evolved beyond it. The Instituts Pasteur network, established initially to serve colonial populations, became crucial for addressing emerging diseases. When Ebola emerged, Institut Pasteur Dakar provided regional diagnostic capability. This evolution from colonial to collaborative required acknowledging past exploitation while building equitable partnerships.

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), founded by French physicians in 1971, revolutionized humanitarian medicine. Their principle of témoignage—bearing witness to suffering—added advocacy to medical care. This French innovation—combining medical excellence with social justice—influenced how global health is conceptualized and practiced.

French research on neglected tropical diseases continues despite limited commercial incentive. The development of artemisinin-based malaria treatments, though discovered in China, relied partly on French pharmaceutical expertise for formulation and production. This commitment to diseases affecting the poor reflects French medicine's humanitarian tradition.

The One Health concept—recognizing connections between human, animal, and environmental health—finds strong support in French institutions. With 70% of emerging diseases coming from animals, understanding these connections becomes crucial. French research on zoonoses, combining veterinary and human medicine, provides models for preventing future pandemics.