BHS380 Module 3 SLP
Module 3 – SLP
HEALTH SYSTEMS, FINANCES, AND GLOBAL HEALTH
Health Systems and Financing Strategies
Securing financial support for addressing global health issues is vital in bringing about sustainable improvement in a populations health status. Additionally, understanding a specific countrys health system allows for more practical and feasible implementation or proposed solutions to global health challenges.
Based on your selected population from Module 2 SLP, summarize the structure of the health system:
What are gaps in the system that may contribute to the spread of the selected disease?
Recommend a strategy for addressing the selected disease within the structure of the health system.
What are some options for financing your strategy internally and globally?
Length: 23 pages (excluding the cover page and reference list), double-spaced.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Assessment and Grading: Your paper will be assessed based on the performance assessment rubric. You can view it under Assessments at the top of the page. Review it before you begin working on the assignment. Your work should also follow these Assignment Expectations.
Module 3 – Background
HEALTH SYSTEMS, FINANCES, AND GLOBAL HEALTH
Required Reading
Frieden, T. R., & Damon, I. K. (2015). Ebola in West AfricaCDCs role in epidemic detection, control, and prevention.Emerging Infectious Diseases,21(11), 1897.
Van Pletzen, E., Zulliger, R., Moshabela, M., & Schneider, H. (2013). The size, characteristics and partnership networks of the health-related non-profit sector in three regions of South Africa: Implications of changing primary health care policy for community-based care.Health Policy and Planning,29(6), 742752.
Global Health TV. (2016, November 14).Strengthening health systems: USAIDs health finance and governance project.[Video file]. Available from
Global Burden of Disease Health Financing Collaborator Network. (2017). Evolution and patterns of global health financing 1995-2014: development assistance for health, and government, prepaid private, and out-of-pocket health spending in 184 countries.Lancet(London, England),389(10083), 19812004. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30874-7
Dieleman, J., Campbell, M., Chapin, A., Eldrenkamp, E., Fan, V. Y., Haakenstad, A., … & Reynolds, A. (2017). Evolution and patterns of global health financing 19952014: development assistance for health, and government, prepaid private, and out-of-pocket health spending in 184 countries.The Lancet, 389(10083), 1981-2004. Running head: GLOBAL HEALTH 1
GLOBAL HEALTH 5
Global Health in the 21st Century
Elizabeth Davis
Trident International University
Module 2 SLP
Dr. Michael Mucedola
September 3, 2020
1. An overview of the selected population.
2. A description of the disease (transmission, prevalence, etc.).
3. A description of potentially relevant cultural factors related to the health issue or disease.
4. Cultural factors such as language, diet, expectations regarding health care, and the role of traditional healing.
5. Environmental and social factors such as climate, economy, and politics.
Introduction
The west of Africa has countries that have rich and diverse cultures. The practices of these countries affected by the Ebola pandemic are similar especially funeral practice and burial rites. Culture plays an important role in these societies and also played a role in the explosion of the disease. Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea have similar cultural practices especially when it comes to burial. Ebola is considered as one of the deadliest diseases with a mortality rate of 90% (Rajak and Jain, 2015). The borders of the countries are porous with constant movement between the countries leading to the sharing of cultures and activities.
The Ebola virus disease is a viral disease from the family of Filoviridae that has other viral diseases like Reston, Sudan, Tai Forest, and Bundibugyo Ebola viruses. The disease was first discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo formerly Zaire in 1976. The disease is transmitted from animals to humans with bats suspected to be the main cause of the disease. The infection of the Ebola virus is through close contact with infected persons and bodily fluid contact. According to Christian et al., (2017) the number of infected cases in west Africa skyrocketed to over 28,000 cases and 11,323 deaths. The most affected countries were Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea which were most affected due to their high-risk behaviors.
Cultural Factors
The high-risk behaviors were related to the burial practices and funeral rites of the three countries. The countries share similar practices that adhere to an ancestral funeral and burial rites. The borders are porous with free movement between the borders of the countries. The culture also detects that the sick should be taken care of. A report by the World Health Organization (2015) suggests that the cultural trait of compassion played a key role in the spread of the disease. According to the cultural trait of compassion, the sick should be compassionately taken care of and their bodies treated with dignity. This means that the bodies of the dead should be ceremoniously be taken care of by increasing contact with the infected bodies.
According to Fauci (2014), healthcare infrastructure between the countries is inadequate. The traditional healers play a key role in a place where government-run health facilities are limited. The population prefers traditional healers or self-medication rather than the use of western medicine. The poverty rate is also high increasing the chances of the population seeking medical advice or assistance from traditional healers. This increased the rate of spread with contact with traditional healers being a practice.
Environment and Social Factors
The political climate is volatile with a country like Liberia suffering from years of political unrest. Civil wars and political instability in other countries made it difficult to create health policies that would benefit the population. Political instability for many years has made sure the economies are weak. The countries cannot sustain some of the health needs of the population without international intervention. Donors play a key role in the implementation of health policies that benefit the population.
Conclusion
Ebola is considered the deadliest disease in the world with a mortality rate of up to 90%. The disease mostly affected the West African region with some of the cultural practices speeding up the spread. Traditional burial rites and cultural practice of compassion for the sick and the dead increased the spread. The years of civil unrest and political instability in the countries make it difficult for health policies to be implemented.
References
Christian, K. A., Iuliano, A. D., Uyeki, T. M., Mintz, E. D., Nichol, S. T., Rollin, P., … & Arthur, R. R. (2017). What We Are WatchingTop Global Infectious Disease Threats, 2013-2016: An Update from CDC’s Global Disease Detection Operations Center.Health security, 15(5), 453-462.
Fauci, A. S. (2014). Ebolaunderscoring the global disparities in health care resources.New England Journal of Medicine,371(12), 10841086.
Rajak, Harish & Jain, Deepak & Singh, Avineesh & Sharma, Ajay & Dixit, Anshuman. (2015). Ebola virus disease: Past, present, and future. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 4. 10.1016/S2221-1691(15)30365-8.
World Health Organization. (2015). Emergencies Preparedness, Response. Factors that contributed to the undetected spread of the Ebola virus and impeded rapid containment. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/one-year-report/factors/en/#:~:text=Cultural%20beliefs%20and%20behavioural%20practices,large%20explosions%20of%20new%20cases.
