After getting dropped off at the Central Campus bus stop and naively wandering around for 30 minutes, I finally discovered the isolated structure known as Trent Drive Hall. Though my day was off to a bad start, I was immediately gratified after picking up a scent that I had been deprived of for quite some time —Arabic food.
This smell accompanied “The Arab Spring: What’s health got to do with it?,” a Global Health Seminar sponsored by the Duke Global Health Institute Wednesday.
Almost two years ago, the citizens of the Middle East and North Africa conveyed their inherent frustration with the economic, social and political conditions in the region by protesting and demanding self-respect, justice, rule by law and responsibility from their corrupt leaders. The series of reforms subsequently put in place is believed to be an honest movement towards improving bipartisanship, transparency, social equality and authority.
But where does healthcare come in?
Dr. Enis Baris, Health, Nutrition and Population sector manager of the The World Bank, said a major contributing cause of the Arab Spring is the fact that many Arab civilians are “unhappy with the organization, administration and funding of the health care system.”
Baris noted that several socioeconomic inequalities within the region have contributed to the growing distrust of the health care system. Though the system is plagued as a result of diminutive funding, Baris statistically proved that venality, patronage and favoritism also disseminate the issues in the region.
“In a sense, you have an educated population that is unable to find work or proper health care," he said. "The people are protesting their government policies, especially with regards to education and the corrupt health system.”
Almost half of the health expenditures in the Middle East and North Africa region are out-of pocket, Baris said. These illegal expenditures increase the impoverished population percentage by as much as 24 percent.
In Egypt, 38 percent of respondents believe that the healthcare situation has gotten worse since former president Hosni Mubarak's ousting and that, along with education, the aforementioned issue is the second most important factor requiring major investment. Moreover, countries in the MENA region spend only 3 to 4 percent of their GDP on the health care system, as opposed to the almost 8 to 9 percent spent by the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Though the people are taking to the streets to protest the corruption and misguidance of their government officials, they are concerned mainly about their own futures. It’s not so much that democracy is the issue; it’s that the people want a system that guarantees socioeconomic equality—a system that properly funds key investments in education and health care.
Dr. Baris’ lecture was very informative, and to some extent, inspiring. I honestly left the room feeling as if I hadn’t appreciated the very things that slip my mind on a daily basis. There are people out there who can’t afford an education or proper health care, so why should I complain about having to read a book before Monday? There are people out there—in Egypt and in Libya—who would do anything to be in my shoes.
After leaving the lecture, I bussed back to West Campus knowing that my life had been put into perspective. I just wish that I had eaten some more of that Arabic food before I left.
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