In The Crossfire

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In the Crossfire

Something that we as humans all need is not the latest gadget or today’s hottest trend. It is something more fundamental than that; what we all need is access to health care. A strong health care system is synonymous with a healthy living environment and a healthy population. In the United States, we might not have the best health care system, but it is accessible and well established in our culture. Many of the areas of the world that are poverty stricken and in the midst of civil war have little to no forms of health care, but these are the areas that need health care the most. According to Paula Saravia’s slides on the Review of Culture and Medicine, “Poverty wields its destructive influence at every stage of human life, from the moment of conception to the grave. It conspires with the most deadly and painful diseases to bring a wretched existence to all those who suffer from it.” Health care is utilized to prevent the spread of infectious diseases as a result of poverty, for treating injuries that result from conflicts, and most importantly to maintain the overall health of an area. This is where emergency health care intervention programs and other types of foreign aid come into the picture. These programs typically focus on emergency aid and prevention to provide quick relief to affected populations. However, the health care workers that are employed with these programs and enter these high tension areas are very much at risk on the job. The safety of healthcare workers in places of conflict and poverty such as Syria and South Sudan continues to be a serious problem in terms of cultural competence, structural violence, and the access and presence of health care.

Places that need healthcare now more than...

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Ryan, Curtis. "The New Arab Cold War and the Struggle for Syria." MER 262 42 (2012): n. pag. Middle East Research and Information Project. 2012. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.

Salman, Salman MA. "The New State of South Sudan and the Hydro-politics of the Nile Basin." Water International 36.2 (2011): n. pag. Taylor and Francis Online. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.

Yacoub, Rabi, Radwan Al Ali, Ghamez Moukeh, Ayham Lahdo, Yaser Mouhammad, and Mahmood Nasser. "Hepatitis B Vaccination Status and Needlestick Injuries Among Healthcare Workers in Syria." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 30 June 0005. Web. 7 Mar. 2014.

Note:

Hi Paula,

After submitting my essay on Turnitin.com I realized that one of my quotes had copied and pasted in 11pt font. I didn’t realize it but I have corrected it here. I did not resubmit my essay however.

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