The Scourge of Tropical Water Resources, Schistosomiasis,
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is the scourge of tropical and sub-tropical water resources, it is more than a medical or public health problem. It is a political, sociological and economic problem as well. The effectiveness of a health care program depends on the cultural setting. Our Western approach is clearly not the best for all cultures. Traditional methods are, for most people, more accessible, more effective, and far cheaper than the urban hospitals and health care centers we often support or the complex and costly techniques we introduce. A new medical school based on Western medicine can absorb 50 percent or more of the entire health-care budget of a country like Ethiopia. And in countries unable to spend more than five dollars per person per year for all health expenses, an urban medical center can consume the budget of a health-care system for years and paralyze the functioning of rural practitioners, who provide the only health care available to most rural people in the Third World countries. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 13, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA093062
Entities
People
- E. O. Gangstad
Organizations
- University of Akron