by Bryant Okoroji
Pictures By Helen Atwood (c) CrativeElla at Encourage Photography
Video courtesy of Cambridge Union Society
In a post-apocalyptic world, who would you trust with your health? Who would you protect? Who is most important? At the 2011 Global Health Life Raft Debate, experts from a variety of disciplines debated why their particular expertise would be most useful in this whimsical scenario. The debate put the experts in the hot seat, as they competed for the one remaining spot on a life raft to safety. Professor Alan Fenwick, Director of the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, introduced each of the speakers to present their arguments for survival, and left their fate in the hands of the audience.
Dr Jenny Dean, a medical doctor with experience of remote health care provision (polar option!) and founder of the Centre for Health Leadership & Enterprise at the Cambridge Judge Business School, made a clear case for a “no brainer” by emphasing her technical skills–but also her leadership abilities. She promised to train the new community in her craft and to encourage learning.
Simon Szreter, a Professor of History and Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, posed the question “Where would you be without your memory?” He attempted to win over the crowd by explaining that history is our collective memory: in order to grow, we must know it and learn from it. He also touted the additional benefits of his story-telling abilities and extensive knowledge of sex history.
Dr Lawrence King, a political economist and Reader in the Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge, 
threw a curve ball into the debate by encouraging the audience to give the space to Jenny Dean–but to let him tag along behind the raft in a life preserver. He argued that a person with his deep understanding of political economy would be essential to the equitable development of health care later down the line. He also acknowledged that it could be a tough call whether to throw the extra life preserver to him or to Simon Szreter, but suggested that, as Professor Szreter has a couple of years on him, his fellow survivors may want to consider taking along someone “who’s back was not out.”
Dr Belinda Clarke, Entrepreneur and Director of External Relations at ideaSpace 
Enterprise Accelerator, spoke on the importance of free trade and business. She argued that health and wealth go hand in hand, and entrepreneurship is the foundation for this model. In case her fellow survivors didn’t buy into her argument on the benefits of entrepreneurship, she also mentioned that, as a trained plant biologist, she would be most helpful in setting up the fermentation of the flora in the new land, to make something intoxicating. This gesture was well received by the audience.
Professor Steve Gilliam, Director of Public Health Education at University of Cambridge and Professor of Primary Care at the University of Bedfordshire, argued that the medical doctor was less of an obvious choice than it seemed. Attempting to convince the crowd of the overall benefits of preventative medicine, he argued for the importance of sanitation and vaccination. His previous experience, working at various NGOs in Africa would also be useful in a new society, for teaching the essentials of a typical 5 year medical course in the UK in just 5 weeks.
Each was then given a chance to refute the arguments of the others:
Finally, Mara-Tafadzwa Makoni, the “Devil’s Advocate,” took the floor, to say that there was no need to take any of the specialists. She argued that any room available on the raft should be used for extra food and supplies. After a heartfelt and humorous argument directed at each of the experts in turn, she described the group as “dead weight,” and refused to acknowledge any as necessary to the health of a future society. A difficult task at the best of times– let alone against the persuasiveness of the experts in question.
After an impressive evening of arguments, the crowd was asked to vote for who was coming along with them. This writer was surprised to see how few votes the medical doctor managed to sway. In the end, the combination of preventive medicine and accessible training won over the crowd. Public Health Specialist Steve Gilliam was awarded the last spot on the life raft by a landslide, and presented with a paddle to commemorate his survival of the “2011 Global Health Life Raft Debate.”
We would like to extend a big thank you to all speakers and attendees!
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