African Country with High Mortality Rates - Term Paper Example

?Introduction: Whereas it might be convenient to select a nation that experiences a relatively high level of human development, growth or low mortality rates, those nations that struggle within the world system are the more appropriate cases to focus upon due to the fact that a thorough analysis of the metrics that contribute to their hardships allows the reader/stakeholder to pinpoint those issues that can be leveraged as a means of ameliorating their respective hardships. This is very much the case for Somalia; a nation that has experienced decades of war and has been defined as a “failed stated”; effectively without any form of federal government oversight or programs to address these health concerns. As such, it is the hope of this author that this brief research piece will help the reader to pinpoint and understand a few of the primal health care challenges that Somalia is currently faced with so that the nation can hope to develop and employ the suggestions which will be elaborated upon herein. Geography Located on what is called the “Horn of Africa”, Somalia occupies a tropical/arid region in which a relatively low rainfall inhibits the overall level to which crops or other food can be raised. Although the nation is capable of supporting its own population, continual war and the fluctuations of climate have made this all but impossible. Population: With a total area of over 500,000 square kilometers, the nation is quite large; however, it only boasts a population of under 10 million individuals; due in no small part to the issues of public health and low mortality rates due to decades of war and continued violence; both ethnic and religious. Government: Due to the fact that the nation has experienced decades of violence and civil war, there has been no central/federal government which has been able to direct the affairs of the nation. Although attempts have been made to create a federal government, these have continually been mired in failure due to the fact that nation was never able to be brought under the direction of a single government entity. Recent years have seen the rise and fall of the Transitional Federal Government as it was unable to bring the Islamic Courts Union, which controlled the majority of the South of Somalia, under its jurisdiction and control. Economy: As a direct result of this continued strife, violence, and hardship, the formation of a stable and diverse economy has been all but impossible to sustain. Although it is true that some semblance of an existing economy is evidenced within Somalia, these are almost entirely based upon primary extracts of raw material of the nation. Moreover, even a cursory analysis of Somalia within the past several years indicates that much of the economy has been founded upon piracy and extortion. With little opportunity and you means of developing themselves into a more profitable people, many young Somalis have turned to piracy as a means of providing their families with much-needed income. Naturally, this dependence upon piracy has further alienate the remainder of the world as this action fundamentally affects world trade; causing entities such as India, the Russian Federation, the European Union, and the United States to shun Somalia and form something of a naval blockade. State of Health (Diseases/Violence/Accidents) As one might expect, the continued strife and violence that has existed within Somalia for over 20 years has created something of a healthcare disaster. Prior to the civil war in 1991, the socialist government had provided for nearly every healthcare need that the population might have. A medical coverage in excess of 95% was effected. However, as a result of the ensuing strife, these facilities were largely destroyed, the personnel that staffed them either killed or fled the country, and the mortality rate more than doubled (Coninx, 2011). It is estimated that average life expectancy in Somalia is currently 48 years of age for a man and 52 years of age for a female. This drastic decrease in pre-1991 levels cannot only be attributed to violence (Parker, 2010). Due to the lack of a functioning healthcare infrastructure, it is estimated that tuberculosis has increased within the nation by around 65% since pre 1991 levels. The same can be said for infant mortality; with infant mortality in excess of 1600 per 100,000 live births. This of course represents horrendous statistics as compared to the remainder of the world. Although one might expect the corresponding levels of HIV to also be quite high, this is not the case. Many scholars have attributed this low level of HIV infection to the strict moral and Islamic codes that mainly define the Somali way of life. Cultural/Traditional Medicine Although Somalia has a rich cultural tradition, advanced medicine is ultimately something that the majority of the population is aware of and believes in. However, that being said, there are a litany of herbal remedies that are employed to treat a diverse range of illnesses. This is not only due to the prevalence and impact of cultural tradition but due to the fact that the nonexistence of a stable and dependable health care delivery system has forced individuals to seek out alternative means of addressing their own healthcare. Health Priorities and Recommendations: As a result of the near complete destruction of the health care delivery structure of Somalia, it currently exhibits a horrendous level of doctors as compared to overall population. Current statistics indicate that there are only around 4 doctors per 100,000 individuals (Pavignani, 2011). This has fundamentally shifted the way in which healthcare is provided and has caused a breakdown in traditional structure of healthcare provision. Rather than going to the doctor and having a professional diagnose whatever health care issues might be evidenced, this has caused Somalis to self-diagnose and self-treat; a situation that oftentimes yields dangerous results. Moreover, as a result of the complete breakdown in standardization, no domestic level of accreditation or health care training standards currently exists. Naturally, for those few private clinics that continue to operate, the standards of Europe, America, or other African nations can be employed or appreciated; however, broadly speaking, the nation has no such form of training or accreditation internally. As such, the healthcare priorities of Somalia are concentric first upon the end to hostilities between the many warring factions that are exhibited throughout the current nation. Secondly, the development of a domestic means of healthcare training and standardization should be affected as a means of increasing the disparity of doctors per total percentage of the population. Moreover, focusing upon the treatment of infectious diseases and trauma wounds is another aspect that must be engaged in order for the healthcare system to continue to grow and develop. The nursing profession specifically can attempt to fill this gap by increasing its presence and seeking to standardize delivery. Although this is easier said than done, the main problem that is faced regards the fact that so few domestically trained or talented health care professionals, nurses included, exist within the nation. Fostering an appreciation for this field and the need to continue to develop these assets is one of the most important roles that existing nurses can currently play. Moreover, due to the fact that there are so few doctors as compared to the total population, nurses within Somalia can fill this void as well be taking on a greater part in seeking to define and develop the nation’s healthcare needs. Finally, a level of cultural appreciation for nursing and the means by which life expectancy can be maximized can and should be appreciated by any and all stakeholders within society; regardless of their particular political approach or the difference in religious integration that is evidenced. References Coninx R. (2011) Tuberculosis in complex emergencies. Bulletin Of The World Health Organization [serial online]. August 2011;85(8):637-640. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed August 5, 2013. Parker, P. M. (2010). 2005-2010 World Outlook for Health Care. World Outlook Report 2005-2010: Over-The-Counter Health Care Products, 1. Pavignani, E. (2011). Human resources for health through conflict and recovery: lessons from African countries. Disasters, 35(4), 661-679. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7717.2010.01236.x Read More