Cahill K M
Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1997 Oct;91(7):735-41. doi: 10.1080/00034989760473.
Health and humanitarian complications of conflicts and disasters are, increasingly, the bases for international intervention. Concerns about widespread starvation, the spread of epidemic diseases, and a whole range of human-rights violations are now central factors in foreign affairs. Emphasising health issues can offer an innovative approach to the resolution of apparently intractable problems. Identifying the common concerns, of even the most bitter enemies, can provide an initial basis for dialogue and lead to diplomatic initiatives. Further, the methodology of public health and the metaphors of medicine provide a needed structure for a new era in post-Cold-War international relations; this would include an emphasis on preventive diplomacy that, the author argues, is as essential for the United States as it is for the United Nations.
冲突和灾难所引发的健康与人文危机日益成为国际干预的依据。对大规模饥荒、传染病传播以及一系列侵犯人权行为的担忧现已成为外交事务的核心因素。强调健康问题能够为解决看似棘手的问题提供创新方法。即便对于最敌对的双方而言，找出共同关切点也能为对话奠定初步基础，并催生外交举措。此外，公共卫生方法和医学隐喻为后冷战时代的国际关系提供了必要架构；这将包括强调预防性外交，作者认为，预防性外交对于美国和联合国同样至关重要。
