Women’s role in global health: just like Elizabeth Blackwell 

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Chada Echcherif El Kettani, a 3^rd year medical student in the faculty of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry of Fez, Morocco. 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.

E. Blackwell (an American and British doctor) (1821-1910) is the first female doctor to officially graduate with a M.D. degree. She had been severely castigated and ruthlessly outlandished when applying to numerous medical universities. Worse than that, after applying to a multitude of universities, the only university that accepted her only did so out of defiance by her male colleagues. 

Such a brief story dating back 2 centuries ago, but with such an endlessly considerable impact on women promotion and empowerment in today’s society in general, and in the global health sector particularly.

 It has become crystal clear that a paradigm shift has occurred in people’s perspectives in the modern civilizations. Actually, one can delightedly stipulate that the number of female doctors is increasing throughout the years thanks to the emancipation of women in the medical field, and the ultimate conviction that a woman’s roles, responsibilities and contributions are no less important than her male peers. 

Nowadays, the invincible support that women in leadership positions tend to show to other women in the medical field is what motivates them to excel, as these are considered as mentors, role models and advocates that represent elitist mindsets, hard work and perseverance. Subsequently, more women provide the best possible care for patients: they are fully committed in understanding their patients’ needs, and hence are being genuinely empathetic, especially in a field where humanity is the angular stone, and where a patient-centered approach is the key solution to all the detrimental issues that the healthcare system has been facing.

 For instance, it has been shown that female surgeons are at least as competent as when male surgeons wield the scalpel, or even slightly better, since the post-operative complications are fewer on the feminine side.

Over and above that, other factors, such as the extending awareness and the implementation of fair policies, highlight the empowerment of women in global health.

Nonetheless, countless discrepancies in gender equality glaringly remain in some developing countries. That’s to say, women may face terrorization, oppression and prohibition from accessing their most fundamental needs, including basic education. Simply, other countries experience dire conditions like war, hunger and extreme poverty, which in itself makes women promotion a grueling task. Finally, hats off to some resilient women who keep up their fight in this context despite the execrable conditions. The legion example is the one of the bold “Iron lady”: Dr. Amira Al Assouli who unhesitantly managed to save a wounded victim of the Israeli war against Gaza.

To conclude, beyond shadow of doubt, women empowerment in global health is essential to fulfill the humanity’s potential, cure diseases and guarantee patients’ rights in adequate treatments. Yet, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel requires both men and women, since working hand in hand is what will allow us to hope for a brighter future.