Did you know that “Between 2000 and 2011, about 24 percent of the growth in full income in low-income and middle-income countries resulted from [Value of Life Years] gained" (Global Health 2035)? This means that nearly a quarter of the growth these countries experienced over a decade came from better health of their people!
I've been asked several times if whether my interest in public health work counts as poverty alleviation. Sure, I'll be improving access to much-needed health services that impoverished communities may simply be unable to afford, but does that really count as improving their overall state of poverty?
I know that the answer is yes, but expressing it in an intellectual manner has been somewhat of a challenge. I was never quite able to place my finger on the necessary arguments to support my case.
But this Humanosphere article has provided me with some important resources to not only educate me on the ways that health is directly involved in poverty alleviation, but also allow me to explore important aspects that I had never really considered!
While the author argues that improving global health is the best solution by miles when compared with other aid and development programs, I believe that the latter are equally crucial supplements for bettering a developing country's conditions. Being constantly concerned by a child's chronic diarrhea or one's own tuberculosis can no doubt take away from a person's focus on earning a living or contributing to the country's economy. But even if health concerns are removed as a factor, the conditions for other socioeconomic inequalities would still exist, which would continue to render the healthy individual's opportunities limited. But he still has the right idea, in that global health has been severely neglected and its progress could have been much higher in the last few decades had more attention been paid to related endeavors. Thankfully, it is a rapidly growing field and I'm excited to see what opportunities await me!
I've been asked several times if whether my interest in public health work counts as poverty alleviation. Sure, I'll be improving access to much-needed health services that impoverished communities may simply be unable to afford, but does that really count as improving their overall state of poverty?
I know that the answer is yes, but expressing it in an intellectual manner has been somewhat of a challenge. I was never quite able to place my finger on the necessary arguments to support my case.
But this Humanosphere article has provided me with some important resources to not only educate me on the ways that health is directly involved in poverty alleviation, but also allow me to explore important aspects that I had never really considered!
While the author argues that improving global health is the best solution by miles when compared with other aid and development programs, I believe that the latter are equally crucial supplements for bettering a developing country's conditions. Being constantly concerned by a child's chronic diarrhea or one's own tuberculosis can no doubt take away from a person's focus on earning a living or contributing to the country's economy. But even if health concerns are removed as a factor, the conditions for other socioeconomic inequalities would still exist, which would continue to render the healthy individual's opportunities limited. But he still has the right idea, in that global health has been severely neglected and its progress could have been much higher in the last few decades had more attention been paid to related endeavors. Thankfully, it is a rapidly growing field and I'm excited to see what opportunities await me!
Super good post and article! Thank you for sharing! I hope that people learn to focus on issues of health when addressing poverty. I know in the U.S many people are burdened by health costs and driven into debt. I can't even imagine how other third world nations are able to handle the costs of quality care.
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