Building a Fairer, Healthier World: Addressing Health Inequities in Medical Practice

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Aron Shrestha, a third-year medical student at Maharajgunj Medical Campus in Nepal. He 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 a quiet rural clinic or a fast-paced city hospital waiting room, health inequities hit hard—not as statistics, but as real people’s stories left behind. Defined by the World Health Organization as avoidable and unfair differences in health outcomes, these inequities are not accidents of biology or fate. They arise from systems—policies, histories—that elevate some and leave others behind. Like a woman in a mountain village dying in childbirth because the nearest clinic is a day’s hike away. That’s not just sad—it’s wrong. For those of us entering medicine, seeing this truth is not just a duty; it’s a spark.

Every health story is influenced by unseen forces—history’s shadow, systems rigged to favor some and leave others behind. The WHO’s 2008 report laid it bare: health isn’t just biology or doctor visits. It’s the air you breathe, the street you’re born on, and the job you can’t get. A child’s chance to survive pneumonia or a mother’s access to prenatal care often hinges on their zip code, income, or skin color, not just medical treatment. These aren’t accidents—they’re scars of structural violence, remnants of colonialism in global health. Policies past and present continue to perpetuate poverty and bias as deadly risks. To tackle inequalities, we must go beyond treating symptoms—we must root out the systems that perpetuate suffering.

Inequity haunts clinics, unnamed but real. It’s women’s pain dismissed as anxiety, Black patients undertreated, rural hospitals lacking specialists, and language barriers that silence care. These aren’t isolated issues; they are systemic failures. As The Lancet’s Global Health Commission states: “Inequities in access to care remain a systemic failure.” From clinics in the Global South to marginalized communities in rich nations, healthcare mirrors society’s biases. 

For medical students, diagnosing disease isn’t enough. We must also recognize injustice. Health equity demands that we go beyond treatment to truly understand the patient’s context. Asking about a patient’s social history–home, income, safety–shapes health just as much as any diagnostic test. We must confront our implicit biases and practice culturally competent care that respects every patient’s dignity.

Addressing health inequity requires systemic solutions as bold as the problems themselves. Harvard’s Global Health Delivery Project emphasizes that healthcare systems must blend clinical excellence with social insight. Partners In Health shows that community health workers are vital, not auxiliary. WHO’s UHC2030 initiative advocates for universal health coverage that is affordable, continuous, and dignified. These models underscore the importance of teamwork–doctors, nurses, public health professionals, and policymakers working together. 

As we train to heal, we must train to see—illness is shaped by culture, class, and context. Equity must guide our clinical compass, not be an afterthought. Medical education should teach humility, awareness, and the courage to challenge unjust systems. Whether in rural clinics or city hospitals, let us make health equity non-negotiable—in every diagnosis, prescription, and policy. The future of medicine is not just saving lives; it is restoring justice to every step of care.

About the author

Aron Shrestha, a third-year medical student at Maharajgunj Medical Campus in Nepal, is a passionate advocate for health equity, climate action, and mental health literacy. As a Millennium Fellow and Director of Marketing and Sponsorship at AMSA International, he actively collaborates across global networks to promote inclusive healthcare systems. Aron’s work spans community-based mental health initiatives, youth leadership programs, and sustainable development advocacy. His approach blends grassroots engagement with global health frameworks, aiming to amplify the voices of marginalized communities. Aron believes that medicine must be a tool for justice.

Trending now: