Monday, January 15, 2007
Additional Thoughts on the "Big Picture"
This week's class discussion on the "Big Picture" took a macro view at the issues facing modern day global health. This view reinforces the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to public health. The issues are overwhelming when you look at everything that needs to be addressed. There is no one discipline that can solve the issues alone. We need expertise AND leadership in the areas of finance, medicine (communuicable and non-communicable disease), social policy, human psychology, community development, etc in order to really address the challenges that face us. What do you think ?
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6 comments:
I agree the issues are mountainous and the solutions appear to be complex and multi-faceted. However, I truly believe in breaking up issues and handling each one with expertise and leadership, as you said. Perhaps too many people feel they can be "jacks of all trades" and yet, when it comes down to it, their capability is watered down. The result could be the disarray we are experiencing now in the world. On the other hand, should a good leader be able to coordinate many related fields at a time? Hmmm..
Thanks for your comments Andrea. I agree with you that a good leader should be adept at coordinating related fields, but each individual field needs leaders too- any other thoughts ?
I really like your web blog and I think you raised some very intersting points. I do agree with Andrea commenting on the fact that too many people water their energy in multiple areas and their focus becomes fizzled. As a nation I believe that we must re-allocate money to include preventative medicine and public health as a long term solution. I believe that CA governor Schwarzenegger's idea to include universal healthcare is a great one, piggybacking after successful innovator states like Massechusettes.
I agree about the multidisciplinary approach to solving problems, especially with such lofty goals as the Millennium Development Goals, however, unfortunately sometimes just getting people to work together to accomplish a goal is a tremendous task in itself. We do need leaders at every level and we need passionate people who are optimistic about the future. Moreover, unless this country adopts health as a national agenda, instead of war mongering, perhaps we can lead the way, more than we have been.
Though it may be true that "jacks of all trades" may result in their capabilities to become watered down; however, it may not. I think that the issues related to health are so multi-faceted that without a comprehensive understanding of each field that contributes it is difficult to really be innovative and effective at developing workable solutions.
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