Tag: aid
Global Health Credentialing
Yale medical diploma awarded Asaph Leavitt Bissell, Class of 1815There is a trend in the global health literature calling for an authority to credential those who undertake medical humanitarian missions in low-income countries (LICs). The argument is that there is no oversight as to the medical or cultural competencies of these providers, and that harm … Continue reading Global Health Credentialing
Failure
I co-direct the "Public Health and Surgery" course here at the University of Utah. This week in class we were discussing 'failure'. We heard from colleagues who had experienced program collapse, we watched David Damberger's talk on "Learning From Failure", and we had a nice chat about how and why projects 'fail'.As I was listening … Continue reading Failure
Talking to people
I am honored to have been asked to speak at UT Southwestern's 3rd Annual Global Health Symposium on February 8&9 2014.As you can see, the topic is "Transformative Global Health: Impact and Accountability", which will make for a wide-ranging and engaging couple of days. For example, I'm going to be talking about the role of … Continue reading Talking to people
Things I Like.
Here are some interesting posts / articles / videos that recently wandered onto my radar. Some may make it into my permanent links / videos pages; some may not.African aid: helpful or hazardous? - A look at the current structure of aid to Africa, and how it needs to change.The “Developing Country” Double Standard - (Partly) humorous … Continue reading Things I Like.
Extreme Affordability Conference
Well, the first annual Center for Global Surgery conference is over.As always after such events, I am left with a sense of enthusiasm, optimism and community. There are so many people from different fields and countries collaborating and using innovative approaches to the myriad problems facing the low resource world.(And they're fun to hang out with … Continue reading Extreme Affordability Conference
Incomplete, biased and correct.
I was very sad to read an item on GhanaWeb about multiple deaths at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). The article states that these deaths are due to faulty equipment and, consequently, doctors are refusing to carry out surgeries "for fear that the patients’ ailments might worsen at their hands".I know many of the fine physicians … Continue reading Incomplete, biased and correct.
Incomplete and biased.
Jury-rigged anesthesia machineRecently one of my colleagues returned from a large teaching institution in the medically under-served world – let’s say West Africa. We visit this institution frequently and have done so for many years. What he found on this trip was disheartening, and he noted problems in a report for the hospital administration. None of these … Continue reading Incomplete and biased.
Student humanitarian aid?
Photo courtesy of Doctor of RecordHere is a question: do medical student trips to developing nations do any good?Although this has been on my mind for some time, it was brought into focus by an article by Crystal Hayling from The Center for Effective Philanthropy (I actually read it on Saundra Schimmelpfennig's blog Good Intentions Are Not … Continue reading Student humanitarian aid?
On "taking care of our own first".
Lately I have been seeing chain posts from some of my FaceBook acquaintances questioning why we send billions to "foreign" countries when we have poor, sick, starving people in "our own" countries.Of course, individuals are free to contribute towards whatever (legal) cause takes their fancy, so I assume the issue under debate here is governmental … Continue reading On "taking care of our own first".
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