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Thinking and Acting Globally
By Arthur Fung, Hong Kong
As a student interested in becoming a healthcare provider, I know that medical advancements have reaped many favorable changes in our overall quality of life. Nonetheless economic growth has also brought about healthcare challenges which, if not dealt with properly, will compromise our economic prosperity and standard of living.
"The root of many of these healthcare problems lies in poverty as well as in political and cultural constraints. International cooperation in fighting poverty and promoting access to essential medical resources is vital." -Arthur Fung
Countries like China and India enjoy impressive economic growth, but income inequality and poverty are prevalent. Malnutrition, lack of medical resources such as vaccines and drugs, and a low level of education on the prevention of infectious diseases have led to high child and maternal mortality rates, as well as premature death.
Diseases like diarrhea, malaria and tuberculosis are easily curable and preventable with medical treatment however, drugs, vaccines and the training of doctors are unaffordable in developing nations because of poverty.
Emerging infectious diseases like the avian influenza are also more likely to become epidemic and establish effective human-to-human transmission in developing countries because of poor hygiene, a lack of public health education, as well as outbreak control strategies. If an outbreak of avian flu with human-to-human transmission occurs, it could spread quickly to neighboring countries. Neither developed nor developing nations will be spared. Recent news of deaths from avian flu in Indonesia is an alarming sign that this virus is already mutating, increasing its transmissibility among humans.
Other health issues such as the sudden accumulation of wealth in coastal areas of China has improved the standard of living, but it has also created a society that eats too much and is physically inactive. This has produced a growing rate of obesity, which predisposes those affected to diabetes as well as to coronary heart diseases.
Additionally, rapid economic growth in areas like the Pearl River Delta region has contributed to pollution, which affects Hong Kong due to its proximity. Pollution-associated hospital admissions, such as respiratory diseases and food poisoning are on the rise.
Child health is another concern. According to the UNICEF's report on ‘The State of the World's Children 2006,' developing countries have the greatest number of children. Lack of birth control and longstanding high infant mortality rates encourage families to raise more children. However, most of these children are raised in poverty and do not receive adequate nutrition, healthcare, education, and protection. Child labor and exploitation such as illegal human trafficking, forced participation in illicit activities, prostitution, and pornography are some of the worst examples.
The root of many of these healthcare problems lies in poverty as well as in political and cultural constraints. International cooperation in fighting poverty and promoting access to essential medical resources is vital. This is one of the major targets of the Millennium Development goals of the United Nations. But to achieve this goal, cooperation and communication between governments and NGOs is vital. It is of utmost importance that developed countries assist developing countries through the transfer of capital and expertise. We need a global effort to deal with global threats like the avian flu. We need cooperation among government, NGOs and the business sector to reduce pollution and attain the goal of sustainable development.
This year's Global Citizenship Program focused on ‘Opportunities and Challenges for the Emerging Economies of China, Russia and India.' This program, sponsored by The Dragon Foundation of Hong Kong and administered by the Institute of International Education, brought 30 students from various universities in Hong Kong, representing different disciplines to New York City for seven days last June in an effort to enable these students to explore the economic, political, and social aspects of these three countries. Seminars with global leaders inspired me to think and act globally in order to develop effective solutions to global healthcare issues. My peers must do the same in their respective areas of study in order to meet the challenges of our global community. In the end, that is the only way we can contribute actively to the betterment of each of our societies and our world.
Arthur Fung, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong, participated in the Global Citizenship Program this summer.
