My global health story

I came to Duke University not really knowing what “global health” meant. Of course, I understood that tremendous health disparities exist globally and that health care systems around the world are burdened by a myriad of circumstances—but I never thought about how that was pertinent to my life. I had volunteered in a clinic and completed my Girl Scout Gold Award teaching hygiene and first aid in India, but I had subconsciously separated my experience of volunteering in India from my life in America. The experience in India galvanized my interest in delving more into health at an international level, so I decided to sign up for the Global Health Focus program. By entering into this program freshman year, I stumbled onto a path that has helped me understand what is really meant by “global health.

My global health classes and activities allowed me to take off my rose-colored glasses and understand that health is not considered a right in many countries. I was exposed to health’s interrelatedness with stigma in certain populations, the economics of countries that prevent vulnerable groups from overcoming the grasp of poverty and the barriers in technology that hinder development. I started to understand that global health did not only refer to the health of people—it was an interdisciplinary, tangled subject. Global health concerns call on politicians, lawmakers, engineers, doctors, business entrepreneurs and many other vocations to change the status quo. I have come out of my global health classes and experiences with this burning passion to lower the health disparities that many people are born into. It is not acceptable that many people, especially women, have their rights stripped away from them before they even have a chance to contribute to society.

While I was volunteering at the clinic, I became particularly close to one girl, Sheila, who was 17 years old. It deeply disheartened me that my future path consisted of going to college, doing any profession I chose, choosing my own spouse and having no regulation on me while I made these choices. Sheila had been married the previous year because her family could no longer support her due to their seven other kids, and she was already pregnant with her first child. She could not come to the clinic often because it was far from her home, but I could tell that her bony body was not handling her pregnancy well. I could never imagine being a mother at age 17. She and millions of other girls worldwide, however, have no choice other than to follow their role as women, risking mother-newborn fatality. Many of these girls face obstructive fistulas, complications and death due to these young pregnancies. Although this is only one example, it has sparked my passion in women’s rights and education.

Yet, as I’ve come to learn, global health is not just confined to the “third world.” Most people neglect to realize that America, the land of hope and opportunity, is part of this global community. Even within our community of Durham, there are many victims of poor health due to socioeconomic barriers to equal opportunities. Even among our own families and friends, people face devastating health issues such as obesity, HIV/AIDS and cancer. Students faace problems such as mental health illnesses. All of these issues are facets of the larger idea of global health.

The dPS global health team has a mission to not only increase the awareness of this myriad of issues but also to allow students to actively take part in helping address them. Run completely on the initiatives of Duke students, the idea of a Global Health Week blossomed in 2008 in memory of the late Aalok Modi, an avid advocate for health care justice. The event has only continued to grow due to the nurturing and support of the many dedicated groups and students across campus. March 27 marks the launch of Duke’s sixth annual Global Health Week, which will conclude on April 5. Global Health Week reaches out to many different parts of campus with undergraduate student organizations, medical school students and alumni participating. Every day is filled with work that students are passionate about.

The beauty of Global Health Week is that it provides those who might not have the time or interest to commit to global health a window of opportunity to engage with relevant issues. It gives students a chance to connect global health to their lives and witness a community of incredible students and organizations committed to the idea of health as a human right.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to engage with the overwhelming but important issue of health inequality a few years ago, and I’ve never looked back. Maybe this week could present a similar opportunity for you.

Sejal Lahoti is a Trinity sophomore. This column is the 10th installment in a semester-long series of weekly columns written by dPS members addressing the importance of social action, as told through personal narratives. You can follow dPS on Twitter @dukePS.