- Email: [email protected]
Global health websites for students
Perspectives
Packard is always dispassionate, never needlessly accusatory, but he also provides the evidence for the real mistake in the 1969 decision to pull the plug on the eradication programme. Although it had not achieved its goal in many parts of the world, it had achieved much. In the panic of abandonment, the international funding agencies forgot Ross’s message: both/and. Instead of cutting off almost all malaria aid, the international community should have returned to the more diversified strategies of an earlier era. Despite all the difficulties in the late 1960s, and the problems since, the world was less malarious when WHO’s eradication programme ended than when it began. One must not put too optimistic a spin on contemporary malaria, and Packard offers some useful comparisons of the similarities and
differences between the current Roll Back Malaria initiative and the eradication ambitions that preceded it a generation ago. Tellingly, Packard returns to the kind of analysis with which he began his book, in the traditional period of malaria. Focusing especially on Zambia, he shows how the same environmental and economic factors have coalesced to produce malaria in a country that was once the most prosperous in Africa. Packard argues that countries whose economies are based too intimately on one or two major industries (copper mining in Zambia) are especially vulnerable to fluctuations in international demand. Cotton production, for example, features in Packard’s analysis of the contemporary malaria scene, an activity compounded by the US government’s reversing fairtrade practice and subsidising
its own cotton producers. Packard clearly believes that traditional socioeconomic understanding of malaria still has purchase. His is a sober message. The Making of a Tropical Disease: A Short History of Malaria is a fine book. Its major weakness lies in the disappointing graphics. Clinical aspects of the disease are given short shrift, and few of the many largerthan-life personalities in malaria’s history get their due. But this short book carries through its thoughtful approach with admirable power and consistency. Now that Bill and Melinda Gates have boldly put eradication back onto the malaria agenda, the lessons of the past acquire even more currency. Packard’s book highlights how challenging the task will be.
Bill Bynum [email protected]
In brief Global Health Council
Websites Global health websites for students The University Coalitions for Global Health website http://www.ucgh.org International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) website http://www.ifmsa.org Medsin-UK http://www.medsin.org American Medical Students’ Association’s global programme http://www.amsa.org/global The Lancet Student http://www.thelancetstudent. com
1408
“Empowering today’s youth to create change for tomorrow’s world of global health” is the mission that greets you on visiting the recently revamped University Coalitions for Global Health (UCGH) website. Importantly, the US based—but globally focused—UCGH does not just inform; rather visiting students are encouraged to join the movement and to campaign for policy change. This explicit engagement with, and recognition of, the importance of politics to health is perhaps the most interesting feature of the site. Although the “learn” section is full of interesting insights and links that relate to the coalition’s three current areas of focus—strengthening health systems, ensuring health equity, and access to essential medicines—it is
the pages that focus on building a powerful social movement that are most inspiring. There are useful tools to facilitate action among members, but, as with much of the news/blogs coverage, there is a strong bias towards the actions of US Congress and the departing Bush administration. Although these are clearly pressing areas for advocacy, if the site is to succeed in its mission, its membership and focus must globalise. Ultimately, this great initiative will only be as strong as its membership and contributors. Another global health website for students is the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). This provides a comprehensive database of the national member organisations and projects of this vast network, which is reportedly the largest student organisation in the world. Reflecting
their focus on being a network and forum rather than a campaigning organisation, discussion, debate, and the politics of health are rather thin on the ground, but nevertheless this website is a useful reference. Nationally focused, yet full of inspiring ideas and examples, are the websites of organisations such as Medsin-UK and the American Medical Students’ Association’s global programme. Of course, such a round-up of student global health websites would not be complete without mentioning The Lancet Student, which since launching last year now has a growing global community of students writing, blogging, and reporting for it and is well worth adding to your bookmarks.
Robert Hughes [email protected]
www.thelancet.com Vol 371 April 26, 2008
Packard is always dispassionate, never needlessly accusatory, but he also provides the evidence for the real mistake in the 1969 decision to pull the plug on the eradication programme. Although it had not achieved its goal in many parts of the world, it had achieved much. In the panic of abandonment, the international funding agencies forgot Ross’s message: both/and. Instead of cutting off almost all malaria aid, the international community should have returned to the more diversified strategies of an earlier era. Despite all the difficulties in the late 1960s, and the problems since, the world was less malarious when WHO’s eradication programme ended than when it began. One must not put too optimistic a spin on contemporary malaria, and Packard offers some useful comparisons of the similarities and
differences between the current Roll Back Malaria initiative and the eradication ambitions that preceded it a generation ago. Tellingly, Packard returns to the kind of analysis with which he began his book, in the traditional period of malaria. Focusing especially on Zambia, he shows how the same environmental and economic factors have coalesced to produce malaria in a country that was once the most prosperous in Africa. Packard argues that countries whose economies are based too intimately on one or two major industries (copper mining in Zambia) are especially vulnerable to fluctuations in international demand. Cotton production, for example, features in Packard’s analysis of the contemporary malaria scene, an activity compounded by the US government’s reversing fairtrade practice and subsidising
its own cotton producers. Packard clearly believes that traditional socioeconomic understanding of malaria still has purchase. His is a sober message. The Making of a Tropical Disease: A Short History of Malaria is a fine book. Its major weakness lies in the disappointing graphics. Clinical aspects of the disease are given short shrift, and few of the many largerthan-life personalities in malaria’s history get their due. But this short book carries through its thoughtful approach with admirable power and consistency. Now that Bill and Melinda Gates have boldly put eradication back onto the malaria agenda, the lessons of the past acquire even more currency. Packard’s book highlights how challenging the task will be.
Bill Bynum [email protected]
In brief Global Health Council
Websites Global health websites for students The University Coalitions for Global Health website http://www.ucgh.org International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) website http://www.ifmsa.org Medsin-UK http://www.medsin.org American Medical Students’ Association’s global programme http://www.amsa.org/global The Lancet Student http://www.thelancetstudent. com
1408
“Empowering today’s youth to create change for tomorrow’s world of global health” is the mission that greets you on visiting the recently revamped University Coalitions for Global Health (UCGH) website. Importantly, the US based—but globally focused—UCGH does not just inform; rather visiting students are encouraged to join the movement and to campaign for policy change. This explicit engagement with, and recognition of, the importance of politics to health is perhaps the most interesting feature of the site. Although the “learn” section is full of interesting insights and links that relate to the coalition’s three current areas of focus—strengthening health systems, ensuring health equity, and access to essential medicines—it is
the pages that focus on building a powerful social movement that are most inspiring. There are useful tools to facilitate action among members, but, as with much of the news/blogs coverage, there is a strong bias towards the actions of US Congress and the departing Bush administration. Although these are clearly pressing areas for advocacy, if the site is to succeed in its mission, its membership and focus must globalise. Ultimately, this great initiative will only be as strong as its membership and contributors. Another global health website for students is the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). This provides a comprehensive database of the national member organisations and projects of this vast network, which is reportedly the largest student organisation in the world. Reflecting
their focus on being a network and forum rather than a campaigning organisation, discussion, debate, and the politics of health are rather thin on the ground, but nevertheless this website is a useful reference. Nationally focused, yet full of inspiring ideas and examples, are the websites of organisations such as Medsin-UK and the American Medical Students’ Association’s global programme. Of course, such a round-up of student global health websites would not be complete without mentioning The Lancet Student, which since launching last year now has a growing global community of students writing, blogging, and reporting for it and is well worth adding to your bookmarks.
Robert Hughes [email protected]
www.thelancet.com Vol 371 April 26, 2008