An Overview of the Health Care System

Mali is a country located in the Sahel region of West Africa. Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa, with a population of 19.8 million people. The country is one of the poorest in the world, with an estimated Gross Domestic Product per capita of $750. Despite the country’s low income, Mali has made great strides in improving its health care system over the last 30 years. In this article, we will look at the current state of healthcare in Mali, its challenges, and some of the progress that has been made.

Health Care Access in Mali

In Mali, access to healthcare is still a challenge. Health care coverage is limited in the rural and remote areas, where the majority of the population lives. Out-of-pocket payments constitute the main source of health care financing, a situation which is especially challenging for the poor. It has been estimated that only 40% of the population has access to healthcare. Moreover, only 55% of children receive the recommended vaccinations, and only 62% of women attend childbirth with a skilled health worker.

Health Care Infrastructure in Mali

The healthcare infrastructure in Mali is still deficient. There are only two hospitals providing secondary care: the University Hospital Center of Point G and the Centre Hospitalier National de Bamako. There are also several health centers which provide primary care services. The infrastructure and the quality of care provided need improvement. For instance, there is a lack of facilities to treat serious health problems like cancer.

Health Care Budget in Mali

The government of Mali spends around 5.5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare. This percentage is below the international benchmark of 5-10%, and only about a third of the total is allocated to public healthcare services. The country has been working on a plan to reduce health expenditures by using performance-based financing and privatizing a number of health services, but this plan has not yet been implemented.

Health Care Challenges in Mali

Access to healthcare is not the only challenge in Mali. Health care infrastructure, the quality of the health care provided, and the overall health system need improvement. The government subsidizes some of the health care services, but this is not enough to give everyone in the country easy access to healthcare. Moreover, the country has high rates of maternal and infant mortality, and there is a need for better health education in order to decrease these figures.

Progress in Healthcare in Mali

Despite the challenges, there has been progres in the healthcare system in Mali over the past 30 years. Health expenditure per capita has increased from a small amount in 1990 to $35 per capita in 2017. Mali has also started rolling out a universal health coverage plan in 2013 and has been increasing the number of physicians and nurses stationed in rural areas. In addition, the country has invested in the construction of health centres and is implementing a system of performance-based financing, which aims to ensure better access and quality of health care.

Conclusion

Mali still faces a number of challenges when it comes to the provision of health care services. Access to care and the quality of care are still limited in some areas. Moreover, the country’s health care budget has not been sufficient to provide adequate healthcare to all its citizens. Nevertheless, there has been progress, as the government has been increasing its health expenditures and investing in health infrastructure. The universal health coverage plan should also help improve access to care. With these measures, it is hoped that the health care system in Mali will continue to improve and that the population’s health will benefit from it.

Allergic Asthma VS Non-Allergic Asthma

Allergic asthma, which is “also known as allergy-induced asthma” is ‘caused by an allergic reaction.” The easiest way for one to recognize whether he/she has this form of asthma is if he/she has “trouble breathing during allergy season.” Two common allergens that cause the most trouble are pollen and mold. Consequently, pollen can be found in several trees such as “Oak, Western red cedar, Sycamore, Maple, Elm, Birch, Ash, Cypress, Walnut, Hickory, and Poplar.”

When a person is subject to these types of allergens and ends up breathing them in – and/or inhaling them – they can begin to experience several symptoms. A runny nose, itchy eyes, and frequent sneezing is a normal way in which the body reacts. The reason for this is because pollen is “a mass of microspores in a seed plant appearing usually as a fine dust.” This fine dust makes it that much easier for the pollen to make its way into a person’s nose, especially when they are out and about during the Springtime and surrounded by all the new plant growth. One who is allergic to mold will experience the same kind of symptoms.

In contrast, is non-allergic asthma which “has a range of triggers, including weather conditions, exercise, infections, and stress.” Symptoms for both forms of asthma are similar, so if one was to just look at their symptoms then they could easily mistake it for one or the other. The biggest way, however, that this form of asthma is diagnosed if one is experiencing it without the help of allergens. In other words, “something other than allergens triggers an immune system response” which is the biggest determining factor above all else.

Fortunately, treatment options are available for both types of asthma in the form of antihistamine, steroid, and/or an anti-inflammatory. However, it’s always a good idea for one to seek out a medical professional rather than to try and self-diagnose his/her symptoms himself/herself. In doing so, the person in the health field can better determine what further action needs to be taken so that the person’s reaction – and/or symptoms – can be reduced.           

In conclusion, treatment options available make it so that the person doesn’t have to just suffer through his/her attack, and/or try to cope with them on his/her own, but instead helps get rid of the allergic reaction that has occurred as a result of whatever may have triggered it. Preventing these symptoms – or relieving them completely – allows one to breathe fully, and live a happier and healthier life, rather than to feel restricted by his/her condition.

Drugs & Cancer

As many of us may know drugs have the potential to result in the death of an individual. But, alternatively, if such an unfortunate consequence doesn’t come, one just as worse may reside in its place—coming in the form of cancer. However, this is oftentimes something that a number of people overlook. They see a billion advertisements on the tv of someone smoking a cigarette, in addition to the nightmarish effects that come with tobacco products. Yet, what they fail to realize, as a whole, is just how much it can heighten one’s risk of cancer—as certain toxins and cancer are closely related.  

First and foremost, cancer is defined as “a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.” With this definition, we can gain a better understanding of what lung cancer is. It’s through such that one who abuses these substances can visualize the physical deterioration—happening within his/her body—that goes unseen by the human eye. In turn, lung cancer is “the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. As they grow, the abnormal cells can form tumors and interfere with the functioning of the lung, which provides oxygen to the body via the blood.”

If one was to really and truly known of all the chemicals contained in even one cigarette, he/she would be a lot less likely to continue in such a fatal habit. However, a number of people disregard the harm that it’ll cause them because they don’t feel as though it can happen to them until it happens. Others may want to stop, but find themselves too far addicted to do so. But for those unaware of the all that’s found in tobacco smoke, some of its contains are included but not limited to; acetone, arsenic, tar, butane, benzene, lead, methanol, nicotine, toluene and so on. 

In conclusion, it is best that one gets the help he/she needs before it’s too late. In doing so, he/she will be able to not only gain relief but release, so that he/she may be able to resume living a healthy life. Health risks of cancer—and/or even death—can be decreased exponentially as he/she begins to take care of himself/herself in the right way(s). And by seeking out treatment, he/she can tackle his/her drug problem right at the source.

The Factors Of Medical Tourism

For those who are unable to obtain the affordable healthcare that they need-in order to receive treatment for both minor and major medical conditions-medical tourism is a potential way for them to do such. Tourist, immigrant, no matter who one might be, medical tourism carries a platoon of benefits, one of the biggest being in relation to cost. This is especially the case for those traveling from the United States to foreign countries where the price is significantly lower. This can help a number of individuals have the potential to pay for treatment that they wouldn’t normally be able to pay for. Besides cost, the greatest thing that countries which carry a significant amount of health benefits can do is help aid other countries who are struggling and/or are less fortunate to have such. We see this relation in a wide range of people, whether it be in a traveling doctor to a third world country, or a traveling patient to a country or location with a better healthcare system.

First and foremost, medical tourism “refers to people traveling to a country other than their own to obtain medical treatment. In the past, this usually referred to those who traveled from less-developed countries to major medical centers in highly developed countries for treatment unavailable at home.” In turn, it is through this form of medicine that a number of people are able to receive procedures at a discounted rate, and/or for much less than what they might be used to. Those with the resources to do good, and help those who are less fortunate to have such, can benefit those individuals significantly, by allowing them to get the care that they wouldn’t receive otherwise. This can be seen as some have traveled from countries that have less resource, to another which has more in order to receive the necessary and needed treatment in order to heal them physically.

When one is challenged with the possibility of substance abuse, they should seek help through christian drug and alcohol treatment centers before it becomes a problem.

In conclusion, Medical tourism allows those who are severely sick to be able to receive treatment that could go as far as saving their life, but without the opportunity of medical tourism, their condition could worsen if it is left untreated. That’s why medical tourism can pose as a beneficial option, since it allows things such as cheaper cost, better treatment, insurance incentives and/or specialties, along with a number of other factors. In turn, these are all things to take into consideration whether deciding on a small procedure, or a more serious one.

The Benefits of Medical Tourism

medical tourism benefitsMedical tourism has many benefits. Many people call it the way of the global medical future, yet many people still do not have a clear understanding of what it is or how it works. Medical tourism is based on a simple concept. If someone has a medical condition and a different country or region offers more understanding of the medical condition than the person’s home country or region, that person should be free to travel in order to receive medical treatment. While this is a relatively modern trend, it is an important one for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, medical tourism effects the global economy in a positive way. Money travels to benefit a region’s specialties in the practice of medical tourism. It is common knowledge that every country has strengths and weaknesses in their medical system. Some countries thrive in nutrition and holistic medicine while other countries specialize in surgeries and pharmaceuticals. When people travel across borders to receive medical care, that gives countries an opportunity to market their individual strengths in the medical field and attract medical consumers who are in need of their services, which lets good medical programs stay funded and advance their medicine.

When medical professionals receive clients from outside their usual region, they receive a variety of heath subjects to study. This helps advance medicine on a global level. People from one restricted region will often have genetic similarities and common health profiles. When a person from a far away region travels in order to receive medical care, doctors are able to study people’s health profiles that evolved within drastically different conditions in order to learn more about them.

And lastly, the one who benefits the greatest from medical tourism is the person receiving treatment. There are many people with health conditions in the world who do not live in an area with adequate medical practices to treat their condition. Often, it is some other region of the world that offers the best medical care for a condition than the one a carrier of the condition lives in. The world is a healthier, more functional place when people are allowed to travel freely to the location that offers the best medical care.

Medical Treatment in Canada

Canada medical treatmentMedical treatment in Canada is considered to be some of the best in the world. Canada is a modern, wealthy nation with access to a considerable amount of science and medicine, relative to the rest of the world. Canada prides itself on its practice of medicine, its socialized health care system, the accessibility of its health care and its popularity among its citizens and residents. It also prides itself on welcoming medical tourists from around the world, including places like Africa, Asia and Russia.

Canada’s healthcare is socialized. This means that all citizens and residents have access to it for free, or for a small, regular premium. In the Western world, Canada is an exemplary country for socialized healthcare. When the United States implemented their version of socialized medicine, called Obamacare, it was Canada that they looked to largely for an example. That is because Canada has maintained a stable, productive economy around their healthcare system for many years. Their socialized healthcare is tried and true.

This is not to say, however, that Canadian medicine is only social, because it is also privatized in many ways. Those who choose to may invest in private insurance policies to receive additional healthcare benefits from their family physicians and specialists. This can be beneficial for people who have a particular condition that needs special treatment, or it can be useful to people who travel because private insurance may include international benefits.

Canadian medicine and medical treatment are highly advanced. Canada is a leader in innovation and education in the Western world, and the Canadian value on information cannot be understated. The medical community in Canada is highly decorated and advanced. Canadian doctors spend a great deal of time in school before practicing medicine, and even those practicing receive continuing educations. The technology and equipment in Canadian medical facilities is state of the art, coming from some of the most brilliant medical engineer minds there are.

And last but not least, the Canadian medical system is popular among Canadian citizens and residents. Canadians appreciate how accessible medical treatment is to them, and their national healthcare system is a source of pride to them. It is true that some medical facilities and specialty areas have wait lists, but it is also true that medical services are far more accessible in Canada than they are in countries without socialized medicine.

Medical Treatment in Mali

medical treatment in MaliMali is a beautiful country in the Northwest part of the African continent. Landlocked in an arid region, Mali is one of the most dry places on earth. Despite its stark natural beauty, Mali is a place where people struggle considerably with health problems. Particularly due to unclean drinking water, some of the most common health problems found in Mali are Hepatitis A, diarrhea, typhoid fever, dengue fever and malaria. Through out Mali, there are problems of inadequate nutrition, sanitation and hygiene practices. There are high mortality rates in every demographic of Mali.

Health care in Mali is no where near adequate enough to sustain its population. The health care system of Mali is severely underfunded, and the people of Mali depend heavily on outside provision to meet their health needs, such as the help of international health organizations and missionary groups. Medicine is in short supply in Mali, as are clinics and doctors. It is not uncommon for one doctor to be the only doctor available to a region of 100,000 people, which leaves the average resident of Mali almost completely without health care.

The reason for these challenges is an unfortunate history that has lead to crisis in poverty, political conflict and harsh natural conditions. Mali is one of the most poverty ridden countries on earth, with the average family surviving on next to nothing. There is also a great deal of political conflict and rebellion, which leaves residents and citizens displaced and in a refugee state, increasing the poverty and chaos. The drought conditions in Mali are very harsh, leaving its residents and citizens without vegetation, water or other natural provisions.

It is needless to say, Mali needs a great deal of help and development before its healthcare can be considered functional and adequate. There are many elements of a nation state that need to come together in order to heal the level of poverty, disease and dysfunction that can be found in Mali, and residents remain hopeful that they can overcome these difficulties by working together.

Mali Receives Aid from Canada

Mali Canada aidCanada has a special connection with Mali. For many decades, Canada has supplied aid to Mali for a number of reasons. Canada has supplied the funding for a number of infrastructure projects in Mali, such as bridges and roads, and there are many cities in Canada that have a sister city in Mali. Canada has undertaken an obligation to make Mali independent from charity with gifts of farm equipment and building materials.

Mali health conditions are some of the worst in the world because of how impoverished the nation is. Mali residents are among those with the least access to medical services, sanitation and clean drinking water in the world. For that reason, diseases such as AIDS, malaria, measles, cholera, meningitis, hepatitis and tuberculosis are prevalent in Mali. Needless to say, there is no government provided healthcare to speak of, as there is approximately only one physician per 100,000 residents of Mali. Mali residents are, however, known for their superior knowledge of herbal remedies, and for being an African country that has HIV and AIDS reasonably well contained.

It has been proposed that increased medical aid to Mali may be the most beneficial thing that Canada can do for this small country. With access to so few medical facilities, as well as medical and mental health treatment centers, the average life expectancy in Mali is only 53 years old. There have been instances of Mali residents traveling to Canada for healthcare on the Canadian government’s dime, but obviously this is not a sustainable method for aiding the health problems of Mali. As Canada continues its aid to the citizens of Mali, there must be much careful thought put into future spending towards Mali to see that health matters are met as a high priority.