Health and Disease

In the West the availability and quality of healthcare is a major political issue. Barack Obama recently asserted that healthcare was the right of every American. But what about the rest of the world?

Around 1 billion people around the world don’t have access to even basic healthcare systems. These people, often either in very rural areas or shanty towns, have little or no political voice. In sub-Saharan Africa taken as a whole, there are 1.3 health workers per 1000 people (compared to over 10 in Europe). In many rural areas people often depend on ‘witch doctors’ or ’medicine men’ with no formal medical training. Furthermore, the occult practices and superstitions that they sometimes propagate, can have serious effects on the spiritual health of the community.

Malnutrition affects over 800 million people. Significantly weakening the sufferer’s immune system, particularly in children, it leaves them vulnerable to water-borne, infectious or parasitic diseases. Coupled with inadequate sanitation and other environmental causes, it is a major contributing factor in the estimated 9 million deaths of children under 5 in the developing world each year.

Even where healthcare is available, it is often too expensive for many people to afford. This may result in patients failing to receive critical medical care or otherwise, their families being crippled with debt due to the medical bills. As well as being common in developing countries, this is an issue which has affected many people in the West, notably in the US.

Education is important in relation to hygiene, family planning and STDs but also to break down the social stigma that is associated with many diseases such as leprosy. Doctors themselves often need training in caring for the emotional and spiritual needs of their patients, as well as addressing any physical problems.

Finally, although NGOs can have an impact in many of the above areas, foreign aid can not be seen as a long-term solution to a country’s healthcare needs. Therefore, as well as praying for the work of mission agencies and other NGOs, do pray for the governments and leaders of countries where inadequate healthcare is still a major problem. Healthcare is often not given the priority is deserves when national expenditure is allocated and although many countries have made significant progress in this respect, others have not.