Spotlight Series: ‘Big Pharma' - Eyes Wide Open

Recently I was reintroduced to the concept of medicalisation. To be honest,  after my first exposure to the topic in 2011, it never really left me. I was lucky to have a combination of an inspiring lecturer in Peter Kennedy, and being able to make a strong connection outwith the biomedical perspective of health and illness for the first time during my bachelor studies. Now nearly 3 years later I was in Copenhagen and I had the pleasure of having a lecture with the fervent Peter Gøtzsche. I have got to admit, I found it hard at first, to digest the passion which Gøtzsche clearly portrayed during his two hour talk, but it left quite a formidable impression. I am once again drawn elusively towards this controversial and sobering topic. 

mHealth’s Mounting Case to Combat Chronic Diseases

Like many people in the world, I can’t live without mobile technology in my life. Every minute of each day, I am one button away from calling, messaging, emailing, blogging, Facebook-ing and tweeting to a global audience. However with statistics such as 67.6% of adults worldwide have access to a mobile phone, and of the 5 billion wireless subscribers world wide, 70% are from low to middle income countries, mobile health (mHealth) might just be a key element in tackling and managing chronic diseases worldwide. 

A Grand Reflection

When speaking to my soon to be 80 year old grandmother after Christmas, the penny finally dropped. After informing her of my possible travels to Tanzania and Sri Lanka in 2014, she inadvertently said something which I thought was quite profound. During her travels in her younger years, she recalled flying over Africa. She described how she looked out of the aeroplane window, to witness a sunrise which had colours and depth to which she had never witnessed in her life.

This made me ponder that  6.9 billion people on planet earth live in a world where the sunrises and falls every day. One individual’s sunrise may be mundane and grey, while another’s may be breathtakingly stunning. However the variation of this event is only truly appreciated and understood when it is seen first hand. I believe this is also the case for a multitude of aspects for health around the world. 

CSGH Editors’ Pick: 4 TedTalks worth your time

This article was written by Henry Mark and myself for the Copenhagen School of Global Health Blog and republished with permission.

This week a selection of 4 TedTalks that have been selected by the blog editors, Henry and Jack, that reflect important topics currently relevant to Global Health. Happy watching.

5 'Upworthy' Moments from BMGF

One of the up and coming viral content sharing websites is Upworthy. As the name of the website suggests, Upworthy only shares videos which are meaningful, positive and have a vision. 

After my discovery a few weeks ago, I have been constantly sucked into the website's content. However this week I was delighted to see the 'All 7 Billion' series which is presented by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The series aims to focus on videos associated with Global Health and poverty. 

China’s Surge Up The Chronic Ladder

This week, I had the pleasure of writing an article for the Copenhagen School of Global Health department blog. As you may guess by the title, it is on the topic of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in China, which is very close to my heart. 

Therefore hopefully the article is as interesting to read, as it was for me to write.

http://globalhealthstudents.blogs.ku.dk/2013/11/12/chinas-surge-up-the-chronic-ladder/  

Copenhagen School of Global Health
University of Copenhagen

Spotlight Series: Choosing To Die

To finish the mini documentary series, I will provide another health related documentary which I have watched and found particular fascinating. The topic of assisted suicide is another topic which I hope to write a review on both of the documentaries in a later date, but until then I hope you enjoy this final feature. 

The topic of assisted suicide is presented by the late Sir Terry Pratchett, legendary British author and suffer of Alzhiemer's disease.  The hour long documentary explores the world of those older adults who suffer from neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Motor Neurone Disease, and how they consider the idea of assisted suicide. There are many moral quandaries which both those suffering from the disease and their carers face, along with the ensuring any actions taken are within the law. However within this bleak area of human health, this documentary really delves within the reality of the disease the subsequent consequences, which due to the expanding older populations, will become and more and more common as years go by.