We all want to make a difference, but we don’t know what we don’t know. Below are three important facts about the global healthcare crisis and how you can help:

1. There are 5 billion people worldwide who do not have access to much-needed safe and affordable surgical and anesthesia services.

Many medical health professionals in the third world do not offer the surgical services their patients need due to the lack of anesthesia or access to education or resources the surgery requires. In fact, 18.6 million people die every year because of their inability to receive the surgeries they need. To put that into perspective, that is three times more than the combined number of deaths caused by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Surgical and anesthesia care has been largely neglected in global healthcare. When surgical care isn’t readily available, what could have been a preventable illness will soon turn fatal. What can you do to help? Volunteer to attend a medical mission’s trip that offers the resources and expertise needed to conduct surgeries. Do the research before attending a trip to find out what the surgical needs are before going overseas and then go through the proper training to educate yourself on your participation in those surgical procedures. (Source)

2. Daily use of supplements can significantly reduce national healthcare costs.

Supplements prevent many illnesses, cut hospital stays in half, and reduce the chance of readmission. The human body is like an empty glass. It needs to be filled with the right fuel, or else it will eventually crack and break. The glass can only take so many repairs before it leaks and becomes worthless. What can you do to help? Take supplements with you on your medical mission’s trip and provide medical professionals with information about the impact of vitamin deficiency. This gives a rundown of the benefits of vitamin A and iodine supplements.

3. Six children die every minute in the developing world because they don’t have access to basic medicines that are actually affordable.

This article includes the medicines that are most needed, and this article  argues the importance of investing in children globally. “Investments in child health and well-being are a cornerstone for productive adulthood and robust communities and societies. Promoting healthy and holistic child development is an investment in a country’s future workforce and ability to thrive economically. Ensuring that all children, including the most vulnerable living at the margins of society, have the best first chance in life is a tried-and-true means to stabilize individuals, communities, and societies over the long term.” What can you do to help? Go into communities overseas and train local leaders to become healthcare agents. This will help the economy and the healthcare world as these agents will sell affordable medicine to their communities — reducing the child mortality rate and helping pregnant women. Now that you’ve seen three ways to make an impact in global healthcare, what next step are you going to take?

Looking for ways you can help? Click here to request more info on joining one of our upcoming trips or donating supplies.

See you in the mission field!

Sheri Postma, RN
Founder & CEO
Mission Partners for Christ
MissionPartnersforChrist.com
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