An Agenda for Public Health Diplomacy in an Age of Populism

Abstract

Background: Public health is under pressure from rising populism, disinformation, and weakened global institutions, threatening cooperation, equity, and trust in science. Analysis: Populism politicises health, suppresses evidence, and marginalises vulnerable groups. Public health diplomacy must adapt, becoming more politically aware, ethically grounded, and resilient. Policy Options: We propose nine ways forward: create diplomacy labs for crisis simulation; empower non-state actors like cities and NGOs; strengthen ethical communication and listening; protect health workers; build alternative accountability systems; reframe health as a diplomatic priority; decentralise and diversify funding; develop a new diplomacy curriculum; reinvent and defend multilateralism. Conclusion: Public health diplomacy must evolve into a bold, inclusive, and strategic force. By defending evidence, empowering diverse actors, and reforming institutions, it can safeguard health as a foundation for peace and global progress.