Promoting effective health advocacy to promote global health: The case of the global advocacy leadership academy (gala)

Health advocacy can make significant contributions to promoting global health by shaping health promotion programsthat are responsive to the needs of consumers. Health care consumers have a major stake in the health care system, yet have had difficulty influencing health policies and practices due to the limited power typically afforded them within the modern health care system. Strategic health advocacy communication can help to recalibrate the balance of power in health care and health promotion efforts, facilitating important influences on health policies and practices, Health advocates can help make health programs responsive and adaptive to consumer needs by communicating consumers' perspectivesin compelling ways to key audiences using a variety of key media. This article describes the communication demands of effective health advocacy, the need to help advocates develop strategic communication knowledge and competencies, and presents a case study of the Global Advocacy Leadership Academy (GALA) program designed to promote effective health advocacy.