District Hospitals in Honduras: A Look at a Similar Initiative
Below is a video from GE Health Care, who has brought technology to the rural hospitals of Honduras as part of its Developing Health Globally initiative, which began in Africa. In the past, GE has donated much needed equipment to Andean Health & Development in Ecuador. Similar to AHD, GE seeks to establish sustainable systems of health services delivery in Latin America.
Posted by ldries in Global Health Topics
Biography of an Ecuadorian Resident: Juan Carlos Perez
My name is Juan Carlos and I am 30 years old. I was born and have always lived in Quito, Ecuador. I studied in a well-known school, Colegio Media. I have very fond memories of living in Quito. I graduated from medical school at the Central University of Ecuador and then applied to the Andean Health and Development post-graduate family medicine residency program. I am interested in the different ways of approaching medicine. I like to view medicine in both a biological and a psycho-social light.
Andean Health & Development has been a great experience! I always hoped to be part of an institution that really has a primary objective: to provide care to the neediest communities and in places where they really need health services.
I am growing every day with this program. I am learning medicine while reaching more needy people in a rural part of my country.
I’m single, I’m the third of four siblings, my parents and my family are very close and have always supported me. I thank Andean Health for this opportunity to further my career while serving those in need.
Posted by ldries in Stories
TED Talk: Stopping Pandemics with Larry Brilliant
Larry Brilliant takes us on a journey of how small pox was eradicated in 1980 and how we can move forward with other diseases. For small pox, mass vaccinations wouldn’t do and 1 billion house calls were made.
His answer: early detection and early response. (and utilize web crawlers!)
Posted by ldries in Global Health Topics
Who Cares about Global Health?
It turns out that a lot of Americans do! This study conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation shows people’s interest in global health and how they think U.S. Aid should be allocated.
(Click below to enlarge)
According to Kaiser’s survey, “More of the public prefers an emphasis on health infrastructure rather than fighting specific diseases. While the public continues to support U.S. spending on a variety of specific health-related programs in developing countries, when asked to rank the importance of two different approaches, 58 percent say it is more important to emphasize programs that help countries build their health system infrastructure, under the theory that stronger health systems can better handle a variety of problems. In contrast, 36 percent say it is more important to emphasize efforts to fight specific diseases like AIDS and malaria because efficient methods for treating such diseases already exist and can save large numbers of lives.”
This is evidence that Andean Health & Development is on track with US interests in global health since its mission is to build a new system of comprehensive health care in Ecuador rather than, say, eradicating a single disease.
(Click below to enlarge.)
For the complete study, please visit: http://www.kff.org/globalhealth/posr111209pkg.cfm (pdf)
Posted by ldries in Global Health Topics
A Rural Visit by an Aspiring Doctor
The following reflection is from Notre Dame graduate, Mark Sullivan. Mark volunteered with Andean Health in Ecuador during the summer of ‘08. He is now in his first year of medical school at the University of Rochester.
While hiking with a rural Ecuadorian medical team, I felt like I was a general practitioner from the late 1800s on his way to make a house call. Modern medicine is relatively new to this region of Ecuador, so I perceived that its unfamiliarity to the local community would make for an interesting encounter.
We arrived to a shelter that looked like an abandoned tree house and met with a 25 year-old pregnant mother of six children. Although we were complete strangers to Maricela and despite her extreme poverty, she kindly welcomed us into her home. She confided in us and let us examine her children. When I asked Maricela what her hopes were she quickly responded, “good health and a better future for my children”; the latter being clearly dependent on the former.
My experience with the EBAS team opened my eyes to some of the social, economic, political, and cultural barriers that prevent rural populations from receiving quality and equitable care. Working under the Ministry of Health was a beneficial experience, as it allowed me to integrate myself into the Ecuadorian system of law, government, and culture. More importantly, it provided me with a once in a lifetime opportunity to obtain a thorough and pragmatic introduction into policy strategies in Ecuador. Working for the MOH also introduced me to the challenges that exist because of the disconnect between health policy makers and those that make financial decisions in the country.
One question that was often brought up was whether the people living in the rural Ecuadorian communities were receptive to “modern” or “western” medicine. I found the people of Sarahuasi, Pilalo, and Guasaganda to be very open to whatever assistance that was available to them. However, I could notice that the EBAS teams are still in the process of establishing trust with some of the members of the community.
The most important lessons learned from my experience with AHD and EBAS are twofold. First, I learned that all of the theories and frameworks that I read in health policy textbooks will not be able to be successfully applied to the communities that I worked in this summer. Instead, these theories must be adapted to local customs and time tables.
Cultural, political, and socio-economic realities must all be taken into account when trying to successfully develop a viable model of health care in these regions. This is a very important lesson for someone interested in global health, as these are the pieces of the puzzle that one must fit together on a daily basis.
I believe that the success of AHD is largely derived from its ongoing responsiveness to the personal needs of the community. In both PVM and La Mana, I met physicians, nurses, and staff who are enthusiastic about the work of AHD and its dedication to serving the individual patient within the context of his or her cultural and socio-economic reality. Thus, AHD’s future success will not only be a result of its financial sustainability, but also its “personal” sustainability.
Second, I learned that my contribution to the people of Ecuador this summer was small compared to what they gave back to me. The patients, doctors, and friends that I came to know invited me into their lives. I had the privilege of learning about their hopes, joys, fears, and anxieties. More importantly, their life stories allowed me to reflect on my own life, to rearrange my priorities, and to develop a clearer understanding of the common human bond that we all share.
Learn more about Andean Health & Development at www.andeanhealth.org.
Posted by ldries in Global Health Topics• Stories