Did you know that more people in Africa die from tropical diseases than from AIDS! These viruses are often transmitted via ponds and water in early childhood. Unlike the AIDS virus and Malaria, they are more chronic diseases that kill slowly, often aging and destroying the internal organs leading to early mortality. Third world countries do not have the infrastructure and social intervention of governance to address these on going tropical diseases.
What can we do as part of the Sai Organisation to help find solutions and have seva plans to commit to in helping solve these desperate conditions of humanity with regards to poverty and health? With millions and millions of devotees world wide what can we do to provide support, monetary or otherwise, to existing international aid organisations? Of course, we should think globally and act locally, but what can devotees in modern rich countries such as Singapore do to help the poorer nations? Can we take the initiative in instigating projects there? Can we collaborate with existing organisations such as the Red Cross or the Gates foundation?
As far as Aid is concerned, it is often sent by international organisations to governments with conditionality attached to it due to the political corruption prevalent in these countries. And large pharmaceuticals can do a lot more to compromise on their huge profits and provide free drugs to these area. Immunisation is in fact quite cheap and affordable. But the lack of education, tribal fractions, religious prejudice and missionary zealots as well as political corruption all need to be addressed. And perhaps incentives need to be made to encourage administration at the ground level to motivate and effectively direct aid resources to reach the poorest and most in need.
As far as Africa, most often it is privately owned basic pharmaceuticals shop that deliver health but are not co-ordinated, efficient or effective enough or run by trained personnel.
What can we do as devotees...? Any ideas...?
Personally, I look at what has happened with Obama and the elections. It has become so clear that the power of the internet can be an incredible and effective force for good. With free blogging and links available the evidence is obvious that they provide an immense reach and method to transform our world. And right now with Obama about to be in power Africa has found a role model to build their hope and character on.
I think as the Sai organisation there must be an effective role we can create in contributing in Swami's mission of service to the very needy and poorest; ie. what could be a role for devotees in Africa.
Datuk Jegadeshan is a leading economist and devotee who has had a major role in assisting and advising on the economic process in African nations and, is someone who might know how the Sai organisation could be involved. Something like his TRAC program is needed in Africa for helping African find their own "genius" along with education to lift Africa. But this is not possible as long there is poverty and poor health with population out of control due to early mortality fears of parents there.
So what could be done to deal with health and education in third world and poor in the developing nations in countries such as Africa and India...?
Could not a Sai WEB be integrated with various specialised blogs, such as this one and one for medical, to Sai devotees to provide and access free barter like trade of knowledge and skills with each other..? Could this not become a venue to allow greater effective sharing towards service projects co-ordinating devotees everywhere to direct their forces to places of real need like Africa..? If this was available, could not the same local African or Indian "shop" people at the ground level delivering aid and health, participate in access to the same services on the WEB and be empowered to mobilize health delivery effectively with the support of the Sai organisation's inter-active blog?
If this was initiated by committed capable and professional devotees after a WEB was up, could it not get the support of governments, Red Cross , pharmaceuticals and organisations such as the Gates foundation in the long run..? But, perhaps first, a Sai Web needs to be developed to co-ordiante centres around the world in terms of service activities and effectively directed to places of genuine need locally. Later, the Blogs via computers could be delivered to the locally trained African/Indian health "medicals" to allow monitoring of aid, on line consultations etc.
Solution through a Singapore initiative?
In Singapore where there is so much second had IT material already shipped to Africa, perhaps it could take initiative in freight forwarding donated, second hand or solar powered cheap computers from Singapore to identified small rural clinics, and a project to help set up pharmaceutical shops with Medi-blogs available for on line education, prescription, accounting and consultation for these local health delivery clinic. Of course, the medical personnel there would have to be educated on the computer with a back up option and incentives given to make it worth their while, personally and for the community. Perhaps, incentives could be given to them via on line further education opportunities and sponsorship for scholarships arranged overseas after a 5 year contract with the organisations aid scheme.
Anyway, I wanted to share these thoughts after watching BBC forum about finding world health care solutions for the poorest with a panel of experts and leaders (African health minister, world development funding minister, Gates Foundation, Red Cross & World Vaccine & Immunisation representatives) giving their opinions and solutions. These ranged from funding basic health care infrastructure to training of human resource, to education and prevention of child and maternal mortality, to sanitation of water, to investment in affordable technological solutions, to donating to the affordable treatment of chronic tropical diseases, to promoting government incentives for quality of private health deilverance at the ground level.
In short, obviously in places like Africa with tropical diseases, there is a real problem, with pharmaceuticals starting to help out a bit, but it is still a long way before the governments can provide proper medical infrastructure. For now it is operating privately from shops and the focus is on incentives for them to provide a better service.
Perhaps in Singapore we could one day export via freight second hand computers to them and with a blog up one day, it could also be educational as well as provide on line free consultation and allow devotees to do mass seva to these places via the WEB.
It could have links to diseases and their home and medical management as well as many other features.
But it would be a socialistic move towards providing free financial & ecological (ECO BEST), legal (LEGO BEST), on line education (EDU BEST) and medical (MEDI BEST) all together on a Sai Synthesis Portal that could become a world wide WEB for SAI devotees as well as help with collaborative seva projects in these real need places such as Africa where Jega, Oprah, Gates and perhaps now Obama are advising, carrying out or sponsering projects for practical solutions and change in dealing with poverty and poor health care.
Anyway, just sharing more ideas and thoughts for devotees to think about and share their views.... still waiting to hear form you as to what they might be ....?!
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