Comments on: Senator Durbin on Bush’s Africa Trip http://www.one.org/blog/2008/02/18/sen-durbin-on-bushs-africa-trip/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:41:39 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: TNH http://www.one.org/blog/2008/02/18/sen-durbin-on-bushs-africa-trip/#comment-536595 TNH Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:35:41 +0000 http://www.one.org/blog/2008/02/18/sen-durbin-on-bushs-africa-trip/#comment-536595 While the monetary donations made to third world countries by the United States and the international community are monumental, our primary emphasis should be towards bringing doctors into countries where the HIV/AIDS crisis is rampant. As the Senator noted, only three percent of the world’s health care workers are in Africa even though it overwhelmingly bears the burden of the virus. Of course it is imperative that donations continue to be made, but initiatives should focus on bridging the disparity between infected people and the availability of health care professionals. Large scale international programs should be implemented that would encourage doctors and nurses to travel and work in places where the HIV/AIDS rates are out of hand; smaller organizations like Doctors Without Borders should be expanded, and the government should provide tax reduction benefits to professionals who volunteer. In addition, great lengths need to be taken to allow more students into medical school, a change that would not entail a lowering of academic standards. Currently in the United States, the American Medical Association only allows a minuscule percentage of students into medical schools annually, keeping the supply of doctors low and maintaining their exorbitant salaries. This monopoly is extremely petty in light of the international shortage of doctors. The concluding challenge- a need to push ourselves and each other to make a greater impact- is vital if we want to be wholly successful in eradicating the HIV/ AIDS epidemic. Globalization and the successive technology revolution have enabled people who are not doctors or lawyers to take an active role in combating the international health crisis. However, few are aware of just how much of an impact they can make. The One Campaign has been extremely successful in educating the masses on global phenomena that have been largely ignored for decades. Still, more should be done to provide information on involvement opportunities, especially to younger generations. I believe if this challenge was more than just a statement but actually provided a means through which the public could donate their time and talents, there would be a surprising turn out of volunteers. Our media overwhelms us with heart wrenching stories, but we are never told how we can make a difference to ensure that our children don't have to bear the burden of problems we left unsolved. Perhaps the most successful plan to eliminate the threat of HIV/AIDS for future generations is to create an accessible, straightforward system through which the masses could become involved. While the monetary donations made to third world countries by the United States and the international community are monumental, our primary emphasis should be towards bringing doctors into countries where the HIV/AIDS crisis is rampant. As the Senator noted, only three percent of the world’s health care workers are in Africa even though it overwhelmingly bears the burden of the virus. Of course it is imperative that donations continue to be made, but initiatives should focus on bridging the disparity between infected people and the availability of health care professionals. Large scale international programs should be implemented that would encourage doctors and nurses to travel and work in places where the HIV/AIDS rates are out of hand; smaller organizations like Doctors Without Borders should be expanded, and the government should provide tax reduction benefits to professionals who volunteer. In addition, great lengths need to be taken to allow more students into medical school, a change that would not entail a lowering of academic standards. Currently in the United States, the American Medical Association only allows a minuscule percentage of students into medical schools annually, keeping the supply of doctors low and maintaining their exorbitant salaries. This monopoly is extremely petty in light of the international shortage of doctors.

The concluding challenge- a need to push ourselves and each other to make a greater impact- is vital if we want to be wholly successful in eradicating the HIV/ AIDS epidemic. Globalization and the successive technology revolution have enabled people who are not doctors or lawyers to take an active role in combating the international health crisis. However, few are aware of just how much of an impact they can make. The One Campaign has been extremely successful in educating the masses on global phenomena that have been largely ignored for decades. Still, more should be done to provide information on involvement opportunities, especially to younger generations. I believe if this challenge was more than just a statement but actually provided a means through which the public could donate their time and talents, there would be a surprising turn out of volunteers. Our media overwhelms us with heart wrenching stories, but we are never told how we can make a difference to ensure that our children don’t have to bear the burden of problems we left unsolved. Perhaps the most successful plan to eliminate the threat of HIV/AIDS for future generations is to create an accessible, straightforward system through which the masses could become involved.

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