Student research could aid Pakistan flood relief
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/politicsandpraxis.jpg” caption=”Students in The Politics and Praxis of Global Health Advocacy course have published their research on five global health issues, including internal displacement, water systems, gender-based violence, maternal health and disaster relief.”]
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As the floodwaters that have ravaged Pakistan recently begin to recede, help has begun to
pour into the country from governments and aid organizations around the world. But will it
be enough? Does the world understand the gravity of the situation? And who will
coordinate relief efforts?
These are just some of the questions considered by students in the Bachelor of Health
Sciences Program's The Politics and Praxis of Global Health Advocacy. The class, in
collaboration with the McMaster Health Forum, has recently published an edited volume of
research offering a student perspective on some of the world's most pressing global health
issues: internal displacement, water systems, gender-based violence, maternal health and
disaster relief.
Daniel Sisson, a member of the research team that studied disaster relief, said that such
topics are the focus of less academic study than many people think.
"There are large gaps in the literature that focuses on how best to assist those in a disaster
zone," he said. "Our goal was to try to fill in some of those gaps while offering some
tangible recommendations to those working in the field."
Among Sisson's group's recommendations: that disasters be framed more effectively in
order to encourage financial support; that social media reporting be increased in order to
raise awareness, especially in the West, of issues affecting distant populations; that key
players in disaster relief get together to coordinate efforts before starting work on the
ground; and that research in the area of disaster relief be increased.
"We really want our work to help promote better advocacy strategies, whether it's at the
individual level or to non-governmental organizations, governments, or the United
Nations," said Sisson.
Classmate Rebecca Cherniak agrees and stresses that the adoption of new, online
technologies is imperative for aid groups to better organize and to increase the speed of
aid delivery.
"We researched a number of tools that groups can and should be using to democratize the
distribution of aid," said Cherniak. "It's just a matter of figuring out which tools are right
for each group and deciding how best to use them."
According to course instructor Steven Hoffman, the course is meant to be an opportunity
for students to get involved in the "real-world" aspects of global health advocacy.
"The students get to work at the intersection of theory and practice," he said. "Rarely do
students get to see the impact of academic knowledge on the real world. In this case, they
have offered their research directly to concerned stakeholders."
Whether or not the students' recommendations are taken up by those involved in disaster
relief and the delivery of aid remains to be seen, but Hoffman says that either way, the
students have made a difference.
"At the outset of the course we wondered, "How do we have an impact?", "How do we
encourage action?" I think that with the publication of this research, the students have
done just that. With their unique perspectives on the world they've contributed to the field
in a very meaningful way. Their work is very, very good."
The class' report can be viewed online on the
href="http://www.mcmasterhealthforum.org/news_student_publication.php">McMaster
Health Forum website.
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