Global Health Essay: Introduction
A study conducted to investigate global health’s plight reveals that it is at its utmost disaster. The study shows that the new skills brought about by science and medicine have failed to meet the global population’s needs. Although outstanding enhancements have been prepared in the health condition globally over the last century, these improvements have not met the requirements of everyone. The reason behind this is the dissimilar living standards in different countries.
It is believed that the significant risk to the existing and developing health disaster tend to be those obliged to societal determinants confirmed to harmfully affect people’s health, including poverty and unsafe living and effective surroundings. Weak health schemes, worldwide deaths, and disparities in the health staff, among others, bring about global health disorders. (Schnurr et al. 398)
As one of the most alarming disasters in global health, hunger has done a lot in slowing down many countries in the world. Haiti, my country of birth, is one of the countries affected by global health issues. Haiti is believed to be a country that has never enjoyed freedom for a long time. Many may wonder why there is so much hunger in the country; the reason behind it is because of the poverty that has dominated the country.
Poverty in Haiti is exceptional due to poor governance, education, and the continued earthquakes (Shah para. 5). The lack of support in the agricultural sector has also contributed a lot towards hunger in the country, a position that Jacques Diouf, the Director General of FAO agrees with. Diouf states, “Economic and social reconstruction of the country needs a restoration of food production and massive investment in rural area” (Jere 1752). For this reason, you will find that almost everybody in Haiti is affected directly or indirectly.
The research shows that in the 21st century, hunger is the leading risk to health worldwide. A report published by the World Health Organization reveals that hunger kills more people than cancer, heart disease, AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. It is also estimated that in every four children, one is underweight.
Due to the underweight condition, a child is likely to die from infectious diseases because of weakened immunity. According to one of the American researchers, “the hungry are the poorest of the poor, and enhancements in poverty don’t automatically reach them” (Dickenson 7) as it has been in Haiti. The impact of hunger can bring about poverty, malnutrition, and HIV/AIDS, among many more.
Poverty
As many people know, poverty dramatically impacts the global health issue. The researcher has clearly proven that you may have nothing to eat if you are poor. Unlike in Haiti, many people are poor due to inadequate support from the government, which has not been stable for quite some time due to the alarming issues that arise in the country continually. It is believed that the most significant number of people in Haiti live below the poverty line causing the speedy growth of poverty in the country. (Jere, 1754)
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is not something new to the people of Haiti. Research shows that Haitians are chronically underfed due to insufficient food. Undernutrition affects the immune structure, mounting to the occurrences and sternness of diseases, and is an allied issue in approximately all children’s deaths. (Dickenson 8)
HIV/AIDS
This disease will always withstand due to the lack of money caused by the country’s poor economy. In this case, many people indulge in prostitution in search of money, which is one of the most common ways of contracting HIV/AIDS. The behavior has spread rapidly due to poor governance, lack of enough to eat, and lack of education. In this situation, little is done to kick the disease out of the country. (Dickenson 9)
Current Aid Organizational
For these reasons, some organizations have come together to help this country from this alarming situation. These organizations are educating the people of Haiti, bringing about new technologies, and changing the drastically deteriorated economy. Some of these organizations include the Students for Global Citizenship Club (S4GC), Boston Aid Groups Lead, cell phones help aid groups, and the cholera struggle aid groups (Jere 1754).
Students for Global Citizenship Club (S4GC)
This organization has done a lot in promoting the responsiveness of Haitians regarding global matters and movements dealing with activism and volunteerism. The aim is to develop the lives of others. For this reason, the people of Haiti have learned how to help one another in times of need.
They have also learned the need to unite and form organizations that would take the country to great heights. Despite all the challenges Haitians face, they have something to enjoy after having centers that can now cater to their needs, especially regarding activism and leadership (Schnurr et al. 398).
Boston Aid Groups Lead
This organization has helped Haitians a lot by saving them during the earthquake. The organization also funded the victims of the earthquake. In doing so, the Haitians could not feel left behind from the comfort they received from this organization that was willing to heal their wounds even during these challenging times.
This organization has been doing wonders, even providing medical treatment for injured people during disasters. In these times of disaster, the organization remembers to advance nutritional aid and provide clean water for them to drink. It has developed and empowered the Haitians, so they can now better do the work by themselves. (Schnurr et al. 399)
Cell Phones Help Aid Group
Cell phones helped the Haitians a lot during this tough period. The main aim of this organization was to collect any relevant information that could assist the people whenever necessary. Any news that arose in the country was easily transmitted, and stern measures were taken immediately or before anything wrong happened.
This technology made the people feel connected, so they were eager to participate in the organization, finally leaving them with new knowledge. This technology simplified things since, previously, people could walk long distances to pass simple information. Now they have the chance to make use of the available technology, effectively saving on time and cost (Dickenson 10).
Cholera Intensifies Struggle for Aid Group
Due to the continued lack of proper diet, water pollution, and education, diseases had a wide path to enter the people of Haiti. This organization provided the most necessities in fighting any epidemic in the country. The organization was there to help stop the spread of disease, educate the people about appropriate hygiene, and humanize the dumping of unwanted waste. It was great for the country, making the people civilized by learning of all these (Schnurr et al. 399).
Illiteracy is among the leading issues associated with health problems. The level of illiteracy in Haiti is high, meaning that people cannot practice healthy eating habits. The discrepancy between the rich and poor is very high in Haiti. This discrepancy has led to increased health-related problems among poor citizens.
According to Kendall (293), Montrouis, Haiti has a club med that hosts the affluent people of the society and tourists. In contrast, just a few kilometers away, we have open markets characterized by raw meat, flies, homeless people, and malnourished families. It is a scenario of the rich bordering on the poor who live in adverse poverty and health-related issues. Haiti is not only the poorest state in the Western region but also cannot feed its citizens.
Due to that, people are exposed to malnutrition-related diseases like Marasmus and Kwashiorkor, among other conditions. According to Kendall (293), statistics show that an estimated 40 percent or more of the children in Haiti are chronically malnourished. The statistics also show that more than 80% of Haitians’ eating habits are poor, and they take less than 2,200 calories daily. The discrepancy is also seen in the income sector, where poor citizens are low-income earners who cannot afford food and medical services.
Healthcare quality is low in poor nations, and people hardly receive it. Most countries in the developing world are faced with this issue. The dissemination of healthcare facilities and healthcare is expensive to deliver to the people. The cost of medicine, medical care, insurance, and accessibility to the healthcare infrastructure are the drawbacks that hinder the delivery of adequate and quality healthcare.
Hospitals lack medical services providers and health doctors. According to Goldstein (41), Haiti is one of the poorest nations that provide low-quality and inadequate healthcare, and its citizens are affected by this. Statistics by the WHO estimate that for every 100,000 Haitians, only eight doctors and ten nurses (Goldstein 41) are available. It has been recorded as the lowest ratio in the healthcare sector in the world, and hence a global issue.
The scenario is worse even in other parts of the world, whereby most clinics, national hospitals, and even health doctors located in urban centers cannot be accessed easily by low-income earners and those living in rural areas. Rural dwellers have limited access to medical and healthcare facilities. A study done in Haiti by the World Health Organization has shown that rural dwellers in Haiti face this problem, and it has become a significant concern to aid and humanitarian organizations.
Low life expectancy has become a health issue in the world. Most nations, especially the ones with low economies, face low life expectancy. In Haiti, life expectancy is as low as 53 years for women and 50 for men (Goldstein 41). Infant mortality is also high, with many children dying before their first and fifth birthdays.
The report shows that of every 1000 children, 74 die before celebrating their first birthday. Their mothers also die, with more than 520 women dying during childbirth. It has been attributed to low income, while inaccessibility to healthcare facilities has also contributed to the observed scenario. A comparison of the situation in Haiti with that of the United States reveals an existing gap between the developing and the developed countries.
Sanitation has become a global health issue affecting most societies worldwide. In developing countries, sanitation facilities like sewerage and toilets and access to cleaner and safer water are not well accessed. This situation is attributed to some of the factors and issues discussed in this paper, like poverty, low income, the discrepancy between the poor and the rich, and the management of the economies of these countries. In Haiti, access to proper sanitation is worse, given that it is an island recently hit by a devastating earthquake.
Drinking water in Haiti is not clean and is mainly drawn from rivers polluted with industrial and human wastes (Goldstein 41). Diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and hookworm, among others, are therefore widespread in the country. The situation has affected the population and has become a concern to the humanitarian and aids organization. Malaria, a killer disease in Africa, is also a considerable concern in Haiti because of the poor drainage system and malnutrition known to weaken the body, making it vulnerable to disease.
Observations in Global Health Issues
In general, global health issues have a significant impact on many countries, especially Haiti. It is because the country has never enjoyed the fruits of its labor, unlike the other countries. Some of the impacts, like poverty, malnutrition, and HIV/AIDS, have contributed significantly to a slowdown in the country’s economic growth. Other impacts like poor sanitation facilities, poor quality healthcare facilities, discrepancies between the poor and the rich, and low life expectancy have been part of the health issues in Haiti.
The paper summarizes how with the help of humanitarian organizations, poor Haiti now has something to smile about. Research indicates that Haitians had nothing to smile about until these organizations stepped in. They have dramatically changed the country, leaving something they can smile for with them.
Health Issues Essay: Conclusion
Hunger is a global health issue that can leave someone with no joy at all. Hunger has proven to be the leading disaster as a global health issue of significant concern to governments, and the situation is no different in Haiti. The paper clearly shows how hunger has resulted in the spread of HIV/AIDs, malnutrition, and poverty, among others, in Haiti.
The paper also shows that the discrepancy between the poor and the rich contributes to poor health in Haiti. Quality of healthcare and healthcare facilities has also contributed to most global health issues like malnutrition, low maternity, and mortality rate. Sanitation that includes sewerage, toilet, and drinking water are common issues inhibited in the world and Haiti.
Works Cited
Dickenson, Nancy. Global Health Issues and Challenges. Journal of Nursing Scholarship 36.1 (2004): 6-10. Print.
Goldstein, Margaret J. Haiti in Pictures. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co. 2005. Print
Jere, Behrman, “The Economic Rationale for Investing in Nutrition in Developing Countries”, World Development 11. 11(npg): 1749-1993. Print.
Kendall, Diana, E. Sociology in Our Times. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. Print.
Labonte, Ronald. “Setting global health research priorities. Burden of disease and inherently global health issues should both be considered”, BMJ Journals 326. 7392 (2003):326- 722. Print.
Schnurr, Paula, Kaloupek, Danny, Sandra Bloom, Stuart Turner & Kaltman, Stacey. “Grand Challenges in Global Health”, Science journal 302.5644 (2003): 398-399.Print.
Shah, Anup. World Hunger and Poverty. 2010. Web.