Global Health and Poverty 

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Dewan Rifah Tasnia is a 2nd year student of Bangladesh Medical College, Dhaka. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Global Health primarily targets in improving health and attaining equality in health worldwide  It also encompasses numerous disciplines both inside and outside the health sciences and fosters multidisciplinary collaboration. 

Fundamentally if we try to interpret poverty, the simplest way would be how the World Bank defines it “Poverty is a pronounced deprivation in well-being.” Poverty and health are interlinked because, in general, the poor are disproportionately more likely to have bad health. For context, the poor people don’t have access to basic healthcare like sanitation, nutrition, access to safe drinking water and so on due to financial barriers. And in turn, the poor are unable to turn their fortune because of their ill health. This is what poverty trap is and as a society we need to make provisions to better it. 

Even though billions of people live luxurious lifestyles, over 10% of the global population is currently living in extreme poverty. Not a lack of resources but economic and political injustice is what causes poverty. On the other hand, resource competition, environmental harm, and climate change almost invariably pose the biggest risks to the poorest people. The poorest people are most severely affected by the repercussions of an unsustainable population.

Robust health systems shield households from the potentially disastrous consequences of paying for medical expenses out of pocket and enhance the general population’s health. The scope of global health is transnational which exceeds borders. The policy makers should address both social and environmental determinants and eliminate disparities in health systems and health care access. In this article, let’s try to look for some effective ways as to how we can incorporate both economical and political measures to try and solve global healthcare issue poverty. 

1. Building a threat-resilient integrated system that caters to the diverse needs of the people by providing government sanctioned basic healthcare.
2. Microfinancing systems can be facilitated which helps families to take small loans to support their small business. 
3. Multifaceted approaches like combating discrimination, providing education, eradicating gender based exclusion should be implemented. 
4. Advances should be made for collaboration with companies and nations in providing humanitarian aid for those who need it. 
5. Breaking down barriers to education, such as ensuring that children living in unstable environments have access to education, supporting teachers in their efforts to provide high-quality instruction, and establishing school access in remote areas, are some of the main areas that should be looked after. 

Universal health will never be achieved unless and until poverty is eradicated. Ending poverty must come back as a political goal for global health. Poverty destroys lives, erodes mental resources, and cognitive capacities. It destroys life chances. We will never achieve universal health unless and until we eliminate poverty. As health professionals, we are uniquely positioned to highlight the immediate personal consequences of poverty, and we can be powerful voices for change.

About the author

Dewan Rifah Tasnia is a 2nd year student of Bangladesh Medical College, Dhaka; currently serving as the Local Officer on Research Exchange, BMSS-Bangladesh.She believes the best thing a person can gain is knowledge and experience and that only comes from leaving one’s comfort zone behind to journey into the unknown.With a passion for science and innovation, Tasnia wants to incorporate robotics into medical science to improve the current healthcare industry and create an impact in countless lives. Apart from reading Snell’s Clinical Anatomy for fun, she also enjoys Debating, Sports, dancing and experimenting new recipes she finds on reels. She is fun, energetic and her vibrant ideas and thoughts are worth sharing!