To be considered an ethical global health worker, it is necessary to consider the various parameters that govern ethical global health work. The scope of global health issues is vast, and identifying ethical parameters can be as difficult as delivering just solutions. The range of ethical parameters encompasses a broad range of situations, including inaction. The following sections highlight key ethical issues that affect the practice of global health work. These include: a) ethical issues in global health work; b) global environmental degradation; c) climate change; d) social determinants of health; h) ethics of inaction, and (c) moral values.
The ethical issues associated with global health work are multidimensional, and often referred to as’multi-level’. The scope of ethical global health work includes both national and international research. A thorough review of these issues would require a more comprehensive study. In this paper, we focus on STEGHs and how they relate to ethical global health work. This knowledge may inform future career choices and local activities in underserved settings.
An ethical global health worker is required to establish common values. These values will allow them to act in a manner consistent with ethical standards. However, they cannot be the sole determinants of ethical global health work. There must also be clear guidelines for conducting such work. The principles that govern ethical global health work can be derived from other fields, such as bioethics. If the broader ethical considerations are not clear, a person should seek help from an ethical global health worker.
Medical ethics training should focus on ethical challenges in global health. Medical students should be trained on how to conduct ethical global health work and be encouraged to exercise humility. Increasingly, non-medical students are studying global health and should be aware of the limitations of their training and involvement in underdeveloped countries. The ethical challenges inherent in global health work should not be ignored; students should understand the potential harm that they can cause while undertaking their work. The following are some key ethical issues that affect global health work.
STEGHs may be insufficient to be truly effective. Ethical global health work is difficult and must be carried out in a context where there is an imbalance of power and resources. As a result, special efforts must be made to ensure the long-term benefits of a project. In addition, short-term experiences may not be sustainable in the long run, but they may serve as an ethically acceptable justification in the long run.
As a physician, your primary ethical responsibility is to improve the health of individuals and communities. You have to respect the rights and welfare of individuals as a patient, but the goal of ethical global health work should be the same. As a physician, you may also want to consider the ethical responsibilities of other health care professionals. This may include teaching residents about global health ethics and developing ethical guidelines. A good way to start this process is to read ACP’s Position Paper on Ethical Global Health.
