Global Health: Perspectives for Human Rights-Based Healthcare (first week)
The first week of the International Summer School flew by in a breeze. Magdalena Scharf led the opening session, introducing everyone and setting the thematic framework. The exercises focused on group dynamics, intercultural exchange, and teamwork, bringing movement, fun, and relaxation, leaving the students and instructors cheerful and at ease after just three hours.
Tuesday’s seminar on “Challenges of Digitalization in the Health Sector” was a hybrid session, with some participants in Berlin and two speakers joining us online. Prof. Dr. Olivia Dibelius spoke about the “Challenges of Telecommunication in the Health Sector: Questions of Human Rights.” One key question from the audience was why the German healthcare system, particularly in telecommunications, is developing more slowly than other EU countries, despite the “digital pact” by the German government.
Barbara Huelat, an architect based in the USA, joined us online to present on “Healing Environments for People with Dementia.” Her lecture touched on findings from memory research and environmental design for people with dementia, such as smart homes. Many aids already available in households support the independence of people with disabilities, allowing them to stay in their own homes longer. However, in the USA, only those from the middle and upper classes can afford these. From a human rights perspective, this represents inequality in access to and provision of support in old age.
Prof. Dr. Ying-Chyi Chou from Tunghai University in Taiwan spoke about the role of robots in an aging society. The presentation of robots already in use in various settings amazed the students, while also sparking lively and, depending on cultural background, controversial discussions about resistance to these changes and their implications for various healthcare professions. In the African context, nurses share similar fears with their European counterparts that the introduction of robots could lead to job cuts.
Wednesday was dedicated to student assignments. Each group had prepared a poster outlining the strengths and weaknesses of their respective healthcare or education systems. The systems in the EU, classified as “social insurance systems,” exhibit similar strengths, such as the principle of solidarity, as well as similar weaknesses. For instance, Germany and Austria have the highest healthcare expenditures globally yet are less efficient than other countries with lower expenditures. There was criticism of the privileges of privately insured patients, who often get faster appointments and better services, which contradicts the principle of solidarity and the human right to equitable access to resources. In the Ghanaian healthcare system, there are also private and public sectors. However, a large number of people, due to religious or financial reasons, avoid the “traditional” healthcare system and instead turn to “healers.” There are two groups of healers: those who work with plants and those who use religious ceremonies. Healers who work with plants must have completed a certification at a university. A discussion arose about whether there is communication between these systems or if traditional and alternative medicine operate separately.
On Thursday, Gerdien de Nooijer-Gijsbertsen, MSc, from Ede Christian University of Applied Sciences spoke on “Palliative Care.” The session focused particularly on why death is so feared and sometimes tabooed in Western European countries. In Ghana, dealing with death and dying is more common and accepted. The euthanasia regulations (active euthanasia) in the Netherlands and Belgium are practiced according to six criteria. These regulations create an expectation among those affected, often leading to dilemmas and significant burdens for doctors and nurses. So far, these two countries, along with Switzerland, have a unique stance on active euthanasia. The hospice movement offers a different approach to end-of-life care, focusing on providing people with a pain-free, high-quality end-of-life experience. A moving video titled “A Day in the Palliative Care Unit” was shown to illustrate this approach.
Dr. Fred Yao Gbagbo from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), spoke about “Funeral Ceremonies” in Ghana. The deceased are honored by building a coffin that reflects their professional life; for example, an airplane might represent the life of a deceased pilot. Funerals also include a strict dress code and a large meal afterward. In Ghana, such elaborate funerals can pose a risk of debt and are usually only held in this way by wealthy people, reflecting a class system that was questioned by the students.
On Friday, Klaus Nigl, M.A., from the University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria discussed “Globalization with the Beginning of Colonization Using the Example of Cocoa: A Postcolonial Approach Regarding Nutrition Culture and Arts.” He talked about the over 5,000-year history of chocolate, focusing on the former colonies – the countries of origin of the cocoa bean – and the production processes, which mostly take place in tropical countries. There is only one small production facility in Africa, located in Ghana; otherwise, the cocoa beans are processed in industrialized countries. The nutritional aspects of chocolate were analyzed, and potential health consequences were highlighted. The seminar concluded with a tasting of chocolates from various regions, offering a sensory experience that rounded off the event.
Prof. Dr. Zrinka Puharic from the Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences spoke about childhood obesity in Mediterranean countries, particularly in Croatia. Despite good preventive measures and medical care, there is a disproportionately high number of affected children in these regions. Discussions focused on education, poverty, and family eating habits, such as fast food. The importance of preschool and school socialization in education and healthy school meals was emphasized.
On Friday evening, a transcultural picnic was held in Berlin’s Gleisdreieck Park. The students brought typical dishes from their countries, and there was a joyful atmosphere on this beautiful summer evening, which encouraged lively exchange.
Looking back, the first week was a great success. The sessions were varied and engaging, and the students were very interested, open-minded, and produced interesting results in their working groups. We look forward to the continuation in the second week.
Prof. Dr. Olivia Dibelius (August 25th, 2024)
