Seven Sins of Humanitarian Medicine

The need for humanitarian assistance throughout the world is almost unlimited. Surgeons who go on humanitarian missions are definitely engaged in a noble cause. However, not infrequently, despite the best of intentions, errors are made in attempting to help others. The following are seven areas of c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:World journal of surgery 2010-03, Vol.34 (3), p.466-470
Main Authors: Welling, David R., Ryan, James M., Burris, David G., Rich, Norman M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdominal Surgery
Altruism
Biological and medical sciences
Cardiac Surgery
Cuban
General aspects
General Surgery
General Surgery - standards
Humans
Interinstitutional Relations
Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy
Local Surgeon
Medical Missions, Official - standards
Medical sciences
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Military Organization
Military Personnel
Organizations
Politics
Surgery
Thoracic Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Wrong Reason
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Summary:The need for humanitarian assistance throughout the world is almost unlimited. Surgeons who go on humanitarian missions are definitely engaged in a noble cause. However, not infrequently, despite the best of intentions, errors are made in attempting to help others. The following are seven areas of concern: 1. Leaving a mess behind. 2. Failing to match technology to local needs and abilities. 3. Failing of non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) to cooperate and help each other, and and accept help from military organizations. 4. Failing to have a follow-up plan. 5. Allowing politics, training, or other distracting goals to trump service, while representing the mission as “service”. 6. Going where we are not wanted, or needed and/or being poor guests. 7. Doing the right thing for the wrong reason. The goal of this report is to discuss these potential problems, with ideas presented about how we might do humanitarian missions more effectively.
ISSN:0364-2313
1432-2323
DOI:10.1007/s00268-009-0373-z