The Ailing Planet With An Empty Wallet

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Eesha Amarnath, a 22-year-old fourth-year medical student, studying at GMERS Medical College, India. 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.

In the intricate dance of global challenges, the interplay between poverty and economic instability poses a profound threat to humanity’s collective health. This dynamic duo, entwined in a perilous waltz, creates a cycle where compromised health fosters poverty, and economic uncertainty compounds health adversities. Unraveling this complex web is not just a concern but a clarion call to forge a healthier, more equitable world.

At its core is poverty, a pervasive global dilemma where individuals lack sufficient income for survival. In 2020, the World Bank reported 9.2% living in extreme poverty (less than $1.90 per day), impacting health across the lifespan. Malnutrition, especially affecting children, saw 45 million under five facing severe wasting and 149 million experiencing stunting, hindering physical and cognitive development. Globally, 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, impairing immunity and cognitive function.

The impoverished unjustly bear the burden of infectious diseases due to poor sanitation, overcrowding, and limited clean water access. Diarrheal diseases, stemming from contaminated water, claim lives, particularly among children in low-income countries. Yet, the cycle tightens as poverty restricts healthcare access, amplifying infectious diseases and leading to complications, prolonged illness, and untimely deaths.

Chronic diseases, once exclusive to affluence, surge in low-income countries. Lifestyle factors linked to poverty, such as unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity, fuel this rise. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, seven out of ten global deaths will result from chronic diseases. Low-income countries are projected to bear the brunt, causing 44 million deaths annually compared to 17 million in high-income countries.

Economic crises, disruptors of stability, exacerbate health challenges associated with poverty. Downturns, job losses, and reduced incomes make essential goods and services, including healthcare, unaffordable. The aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis revealed a 20% increase in poverty in some low-income countries, contributing to malnutrition, infectious diseases, and chronic health conditions.

This intricate interplay forms a pernicious cycle, a seemingly impossible knot to unravel. Poverty impedes access to healthcare and education, perpetuating unfavorable health outcomes. Simultaneously, economic crises intensify poverty, making essentials unattainable, further deteriorating health. Poor health, in a cyclical fashion, diminishes productivity, hindering economic growth, and reinforcing poverty.

The youth in the medical fraternity hold the key to breaking this cycle. As the vanguard of health, their unique position offers an opportunity to dismantle the barriers of poverty, economic crises, and poor health through advocacy, innovation, and education. In addressing these challenges, they can unlock a healthier, more equitable world where well-being is not a luxury but a fundamental right for all.

About the author

Eesha Amarnath is a 22-year-old fourth-year medical student, studying at GMERS Medical College, India. She is a polymath at heart and her ambition is to become a neuroscientist working on developing treatments and diagnostic techniques for neurodegenerative diseases, and a book cover illustrator working for a renowned publishing house.