I knew that the International Health Section of APHA was the right place for me when I saw that one of the burning issues for the Section is the challenge of recruiting hard-earned health workers from poorer countries by richer nations. Having registered for the IH Section, I raced around that colossal conference centre in Denver, trying to locate meeting rooms.  As the meetings progressed, I was dismayed to find that “international health” basically meant America sending health, aid, services, materials, people, or whatever to Africa and other resource-poor continents. It seemed to me that poorer countries had nothing to offer the richer nations. 

International health seemed like a one-way trip to these nations with no return visits. The question I asked myself was, does Africa have anything to offer, or has Africa ever given anything, to Europe or America? If so, have these gifts been widely acknowledged?