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Pfizer is Helping and Healing

Pfizer is helpingAccess to good health care and proper medication is a problem for many countries. Nearly two billion people around the world do not have access to needed medication. This is due to issues such as accessibility, affordability and availability. Countries in poverty suffer the most from these difficulties, hitting the poorest of the population the hardest. But Pfizer, the drug manufacturer,  is helping by taking a step forward to help level the playing field in accessibility to medication. Recently Pfizer announced a new initiative, “An Accord for a Healthier World.”  The Accord will donate patented medicines and vaccines on a non-profit basis to some of the poorest countries in the world, helping 1.2 billion people in 45 low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Medicine Accessibility for Those in Poverty

The recent pandemic showcased problems when it comes to having medicine and vaccines available and ready for the public. But having a shortage of medication is only a piece of the puzzle.  Improvements are needed in areas including education, infrastructure, storage and diagnosis in order to balance health inequities around the world. “Inequities are everywhere. You can pick any disease and you will find inequities,” says Aida Habtezion M.D., Pfizer’s Chief Medical Officer.

Rwanda, Ghana, Senegal, Malawi and Uganda are the first countries to participate in the Accord. Eventually, the Accord will provide medication for 27 low-income countries and 18 lower-middle-income countries. Pfizer will assess best practices in providing medical infrastructure,  health education and diagnosis in the first five countries so it can make improvements when it rolls out the program in other countries.

Pfizer Foundation is Helping Elsewhere in Africa

The Pfizer Foundation has also recently committed to funding three separate humanitarian organizations that are helping with the refugee crisis in African countries. International Medical Corps, the International Rescue Committee, and World Vision are “working tirelessly to provide essential health care to the world’s most marginalized people” according to Caroline Roan, president of the Pfizer Foundation and Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Pfizer.

All three of these organizations have their own roles to play in this cooperation. The International Medical Corps will focus on mobile health outreach and strengthening the community health center in the Central African Republic (CAR) in order to give nutrition and health services to those displaced. This includes 20% of the total population in CAR at the moment. The International Rescue Committee will aid in improving the quantity and quality of immunization coverage in the Hagadera refugee camp in Kenya. The camp currently houses 83,000 refugees. World Vision will be helping in CAR as well as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to host people who cannot get access to healthcare. It will also work to increase protection for displaced children.

Beyond Donating Funds

These new initiatives are examples of how Pfizer is making a difference in the world, maximizing its resources as well as teaming up with other organizations. Eradicating poverty and its many repercussions takes more than just donating to the cause, but instead, it takes extensive research, follow-through and coordination to see how to solve the problem most effectively.

– Kelsy Jensen
Photo: Flickr

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The Syrian Mental Health Crisis

Syrian Mental Health crisisIn London in the United Kingdom, both Syrian children and adults seeking refuge in the nation are grappling with mental health challenges and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the conflict in Syria. Syrian refugee children are at high risk of depression, anxiety and other forms of mental illness after experiencing high levels of trauma. These untreated trauma-related mental and behavioral disorders that form the Syrian mental health crisis serve as threats to physical well-being, academic performance and economic prosperity.

The Syrian Mental Health Crisis

The Syrian conflict has caused harm that may not be fully understood for years. More than 511,000 Syrians have lost their lives since the start of the war and around 6.6 million Syrians have faced internal displacement. Syrian refugee children who have suffered during the war are most likely to have mental health issues. The U.N. Refugee Agency notes that almost 80% of Syrian refugee children had suffered a family death and 60% have endured physical attacks. More than half of all Syrian children have PTSD symptoms. They are also facing intellectual and cognitive difficulties. The U.S criminal justice system indicates that the 1.2 billion people who live in conflict exhibit frequent witness to killings and gender-based violence.

Education for Syrian Children

Syrian children face a variety of disruptions that prevent them from receiving an adequate education. Only half of these children were enrolled in schools when they arrived in countries for refuge. In Turkey and Lebanon, the enrollment rates dropped to 20%. Children have also struggled to overcome gaps in their learning. Children are more likely to obtain failing grades or drop out due to untreated psychological trauma. These mental and behavioral disorders also lead to economic productivity losses and substance abuse.

Current Mental Health Treatment

A report issued by Amnesty International in 2006 shows that 117,000 Syrian refugees living in Jordan camps have access to education, health care, food and water provided by the government. Those who live outside of these refugee camps rely on humanitarian aid and private donors. Refugees in Turkey receive free basic health care once registered with the government. However, the language barrier is still a concern, especially with regard to mental health facilities.

Therefore, the International Medical Corps (IMC) has established several ways to enhance the level of mental health care for Syrian refugees in Turkey. This includes bridging the Turkish-Arabic language divide. The IMC will also bundle mental health care with general health care and educate/license more practitioners in mental health. Furthermore, the IMC will identify developmental disabilities in children and improve the provision/policy of national mental health programs.

Humanitarian Response

The humanitarian response in Syria will strongly consider mental health care through coordination with foreign Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) that can offer urgent assistance to those in need. Sustainable capacity needs to be built by degree projects that can incorporate mental health services into the primary health system of Syria.  The aim is to improve the region’s mental health workforce.

Improvements in the general accessibility, affordability and consistency of mental health resources offered to Syrian refugees are necessary. Worldwide support is essential to provide adequate mental health care to Syrian refugees. Mental health care providers trained by the World Health Organization need to extend to Syria and countries with high populations of refugees. National budgets for welfare are necessary for more funds for mental health programs. There are inadequate numbers of psychologists in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria due to the absence of academic psychology programs. Therefore, it is essential to train mental health professionals and social workers in the delivery of validated psychological services to communities impacted by the crisis throughout the region.

Children of the Future

When an entire population must concentrate on remaining alive, it becomes difficult to focus on children’s development. But, these children are the future of Syria. Thus, it is crucial to focus on the Syrian mental health crisis today, with refugee children as a priority. More comprehensive emergency and long-term services will help avoid a “lost generation of children” for Syria’s future state-building prospects.

– Aining Liang
Photo: Flickr