David Livingston, one of the 1800’s most beloved personalities, is best remembered as an explorer. He was the first white man to traverse southern Africa, to see Victoria Falls, and to walk the length of the Nile River. But Livingston’s autobiography documents a different identity. He saw himself primarily as a physician and as […]
Unprecedented numbers of health care professionals are volunteering their services in poorer nations. But their altruistic motives are often quickly tempered by the reality of novel and daunting questions connected with very limited resources, and further complicated by unfamiliar cultural context. For example: • Is it acceptable to diagnose a person’s hypertension, but
Abeba was pregnant with triplets and arrived at a rural hospital with increasingly painful contractions of early labor. Prenatal care is unknown in this remote part of the globe, but a quick routine blood test was performed. Doctors shared with Abeba some dreadful news: she was HIV positive. Hours later, her babies were born, accompanied
Andre was just five years young when his parents brought him to a clinic in Africa. As I examined Andre, his parents described weeks of diarrhea and fever. Without appetite, Andre was also rapidly losing weight. On examination of Andre’s chest, I found pneumonia and on his skin, unusual growths. We treated Andre for his
English is today the dominate language of international affairs, as well as the official language of some twenty nations. Even in countries where English is not commonly spoken, translation is usually readily available. These facts frequently tempt health professions to falsely believe their ability to speak English will guarantee clear communication. “Completely untrue,” says Nicholas
Avian influenza, or bird flu, was first recognized as a potential world health threat in 1997 through an outbreak in Hong Kong. This illness is caused by several subtypes of influenza A virus. Normally affecting chickens, turkeys and ducks, the virus can be transmitted to humans who inhale aerosolized bird feces or respiratory secretions. Bird