Shanni, Harrison, Meerab, Asha, Aanya, Shubhecchha, Maddi, Derek, Molly, Kiran, Mackenna, Sam, Miray

What can we do to help combat inequities in access to healthcare worldwide? We agreed that there are different problems in different locations; everywhere looks different, so different solutions are necessary in every context. We also agreed that as individuals focusing on global health, we need to provide healthcare within the existing cultural context. Enhancing a person’s way of life rather than changing it should be the goal.

We wanted to look at global health interventions from a holistic and culturally sensitive perspective, fitting interventions into existing societal norms and practices. The problem we have identified is maternal mortality, so women dying in childbirth. This is an issue worldwide, but especially in resource-scarce settings where sterile equipment and emergency services are limited if not unavailable. Childbirth is a deeply intimate and cultural experience, so any interventions from outsiders should be considered very carefully. With all this in mind, we decided that creating and then providing a toolkit that community healthcare workers can then use rather than imposing new healthcare standards would be a good LiA project. The Birthing Kit Foundation is an NGO operating out of Australia providing birthing supplies in Kenya, setting up relationship with local leaders to distribute information and resources. We decided that partnering with this organization or anything like this organization could prove very beneficial in the long term, because it doesn’t require that outsiders be on the ground to put these supplies into action. 

Projects like this, crafted from the beginning with the patient or vulnerable person at the centre of the initiative, should be the norm in Laidlaw going forwards. Developing our own skills as leaders is important, but should always be secondary and follow the needs of the people and communities we aim to help.