A University of Sydney study questions
usefulness of medical missions and calls for improved transparency,
implementation, and policymaking.
A
review recently published in the BMC Health Services Research journal
examines short-term medical missions to lower and middle income countries over
a 25-year period.
According
to lead-author Dr. Alexandra Martiniuk from the Sydney Medical School and its
affiliated George Institute for Global Health, this is the first review of its
kind.
The
study reviewed 230 accounts of short-term medical missions to low and middle
income countries over a 25-year period (1985 to 2009). Medical missions were
defined as short trips of one day to two years by a healthcare professional,
typically from a high income country, to a developing country to provide direct
medical care.
This
study found that the United States of America, Canada and Australia represent
the top three countries sending medical missions to developing countries. Papua
New Guinea was the most popular destination, receiving 28 percent of missions.
This was followed by the Solomon Islands, receiving 17 percent of missions.
Medical aid to these areas focussed on cleft lip and palate deformities, oral
and dental health and vaginal fistulas.
The
review highlighted several shortcomings of such medical missions.
“A
major concern was the quality and effectiveness of the medical care provided by
foreign doctors unfamiliar with local health needs, local culture and the
strengths and limitations of the healthcare system in which they must leave
their patients for follow up care,” Martiniuk said.
The
study also notes the considerable costs involved in financing medical missions
such as airfares, accommodation, vaccinations, visa costs, customs fees for
medicines and medical equipment, and questions if money would be better spent
donated directly to health care facilities in the destination country.
“This
new research also highlights the ethical dilemma of the importance of
responding to the needs of individual patients, so often the focus of these
types of missions, versus addressing the health needs of the community as a
whole,” said Martiniuk.
“Considering
their popularity and growth, there is a need to harness the positive power of
these medical missions and to reduce their weaknesses. This can be done by
increasing true partnership with people in developing countries and mentorship
over the long term to help local people increase their own skills to reduce the
need for medical missions.”
The
article can be found at: Martiniuk ALC et al. (2012) Brain Gains: a
literature review of medical missions to low and middle-income countries.
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Source: University
of Sydney.
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