Pharmaceutical physicians, fragile health care systems and the humanitarian provision of medicines

Humanitarian activities include the provision of water, food, medicines and healthcare, education, fuel, and security. The United Nations has 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs); and within this framework are targets seeking to improve what is lacking for many people. SDG number three is Good Health and Wellbeing [1].

During acute or chronic crises, it can potentially be difficult to understand where and how we can contribute to alleviate suffering due to an array of often competing needs. While the default position amongst individuals might be to do nothing (due to the enormity of the situation), pharmaceutical physicians can make a positive impact in many ways to these seemingly overwhelming situations.

Day to day I hear of needless morbidity and loss of life often due to the most seemingly avoidable causes, ranging from malfunctioning equipment, lack of basic healthcare resources, human error and wider societal issues such as  poor education, misinformation, malnutrition, lack of sanitation, climate challenges, conflict and the list goes on…..The media highlights new crises often profoundly affecting thousands or millions of people across all continents, but there are also on-going longstanding challenges particularly in the global south, where long term humanitarian interventions are required to tackle health needs ranging from childhood pneumonia and malnutrition, to maternal mortality, non-communicable and many infectious diseases.

“Day to day I hear of needless morbidity and loss of life often due to the most seemingly avoidable causes.”  

I have first-hand experience and have witnessed the efforts of many organisations and individuals striving to make a positive difference in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, where the actions or voices of individuals might appear insufficient to make an impact. As a medical student I spent my elective in Sudan, in poorly-resourced government hospitals in obstetrics, gynaecology and general medicine departments. I also observed the work of non-governmental international organisations working on the border with Ethiopia. As a clinician, I worked as a medical officer in a hospital in rural South Africa and later, in my pharmaceutical professional journey, I undertook a secondment supported by GSK to serve as a Global Pneumonia Advisor for Save The Children. Needless to say, I learnt a lot about what it takes to deliver healthcare in challenging environments. Sadly, some of the areas I worked in were in dire need of stability, security, economic development and significant improvements in healthcare provisions and they are still in difficulties today.

Examples of how pharmaceutical industry support can be made includes grants, bursaries, skills exchanges or secondments, donations of medicines or other medical supplies, research and development into areas often under-served including: women’s health, paediatrics, infectious diseases. We can also provide pro-bono support to organisations directly or collaboratively on a macro or local level – supra-national or regional groups or specific health care facilities subject to local laws and regulations. I believe we can highlight the work we do, and could do, to foster even greater collaboration with other stakeholders to improve the healthcare offerings in challenging situations.