Global Neurology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

James C Johnston; Thomas P Sartwelle; Mehila Zebenigus; Berna Arda; Roy G Beran

doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2023.03.008

Global Neurology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Neurol Clin. 2023 Aug;41(3):549-568. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2023.03.008. Epub 2023 May 23.

Authors

James C Johnston¹, Thomas P Sartwelle², Mehila Zebenigus³, Berna Arda⁴, Roy G Beran⁵

Affiliations

¹ Auckland, New Zealand and San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Neurology, Addis Ababa University School of Medicine, Ethiopia. Electronic address: johnston@GlobalNeurology.com.
² Hicks Davis Wynn, PC, Houston, TX, USA.
³ Department of Neurology, Addis Ababa University School of Medicine, Ethiopia; Yehuleshet Higher Clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Turkey.
⁵ University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia; School of Medicine, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 37407107
DOI: 10.1016/j.ncl.2023.03.008

Abstract

Global health programs engaging in isolated or short-term medical missions can and do cause harm, reinforce health care disparities, and impede medical care in the regions where it is so desperately needed. Related ethical, medical, and legal concerns are reviewed in this article. The authors recommend abandoning these ill-considered missions and focusing attention and resources on advancing neurology through ethically congruent, multisectoral, collaborative partnerships to establish sustainable, self-sufficient training programs within low- and middle-income countries.

Keywords: Global health programs; Global neurology; Low- and middle-income countries; Non-government organization; Short-term medical missions.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Developing Countries
Global Health
Humans
Medical Missions*
Neurology*