Conflict zones, women’s health research, and reimagining palliative care
Nov 2, 2024
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Richard Brennan, WHO Emergency Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, discusses the dire impact of armed conflict on healthcare access in regions like Gaza and Lebanon. He highlights the brave efforts of healthcare workers amidst escalating violence. Menaka Paranathala, a clinical editor at The BMJ, focuses on addressing gender inequity in medical research, emphasizing the historical neglect of women's health issues. The conversation also touches on the critical role of palliative care and the need for its integration across all medical specialties for improved patient outcomes.
The escalation of armed conflicts in regions like Gaza and Lebanon severely threatens healthcare services and the safety of medical workers.
Addressing the historical neglect of women in biomedical research is crucial for improving health outcomes and ensuring equitable treatment across patient populations.
Deep dives
Impact of Armed Conflict on Healthcare
Armed conflict significantly jeopardizes the provision of essential healthcare services, particularly evident in regions like Gaza and Lebanon. Healthcare workers risk their lives to assist the injured, facing threats such as physical harm and even death. Since 2018, documented attacks on healthcare have reached approximately 7,500, leading to around 2,500 deaths and 5,000 injuries, highlighting how violations of health sanctity have escalated. These attacks include not just direct assaults on facilities but also broader threats like intimidation and obstruction of access to medical care.
Gender Imbalance in Medical Research
The historical neglect of women in biomedical research continues to have detrimental effects on healthcare outcomes. Despite women being at higher risk for severe complications from conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, they remain underrepresented in clinical studies. Projects like the Message initiative aim to address this gap by promoting sex and gender equity in research, recognizing that inclusive studies lead to better understanding and treatment of all patient populations. The disparities observed in treatment outcomes emphasize the urgent need to bolster female representation in medical research.
Challenges in Palliative Care Integration
Palliative care faces significant obstacles in becoming an integral part of global health systems, with only 14% of the needs being effectively met. The report emphasizes the disparity in access to palliative care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where many patients suffer from conditions that are poorly supported. Experts argue that palliative care should be seen as crucial to health systems strengthening rather than an optional add-on, advocating for broader integration of palliative care training across all specialties. Effective palliative care provision requires collaboration among healthcare providers to ensure comprehensive care for patients with life-limiting illnesses.
Recommendations for Improved Healthcare Protection
The report outlines actionable recommendations designed to enhance the protection of healthcare in conflict zones and improve the overall landscape of palliative care. These include establishing global alliances for safeguarding healthcare, increasing awareness of palliative care's importance, and integrating care into primary health systems. Policy measures also call for nations to strengthen legal frameworks, improve community engagement, and provide appropriate training for healthcare workers. Ultimately, the aim is to ensure that the right to health is upheld, with a focus on eradicating impunity for attacks on healthcare workers and facilities.
In this episode, we speak to the doctor overseeing the WHO’s emergency response for the eastern mediterranean region - including Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen. Richard Brennan joins us to talk about protecting health services, and workers, in the escalating armed conflicts that are affecting the region.
Menaka Paranathala and Emma Rourke, from The BMJ, are on to talk about improving research into women’s health. A new UK project, MESSAGE, aims to give consideration to sex and gender in life science research.
Palliative care is not just for end-of-life, and rethinking how it’s integrated into every speciality is the key to improving care for patients, argue Richard Harding, Anna Peeler, and Oladayo Afolabi from the Cicely Saunders Institute.