Mercy Corps’ Influence on Global Health Essay

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There are numerous factors affecting the condition of human health. Some of them are predictable, such as undernourishment and extreme poverty in underdeveloped states, while others are not, like economic, political, or natural disasters (Cooper 120). Nevertheless, their impact on access to healthcare services is equally destructive. Similar challenges are usually addressed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). One of the significant events of the twenty-first century is the foundation of Mercy Corps in 1979. Its influence on global health should be viewed from the perspective of addressing the consequences of wars and instability, as this NGO is known for financing health enhancement programs and policies aimed at reconstructing health in such countries (Singer and Hodge 7).

The influence of Mercy Corps is different in the developed and developing world. It can be investigated by studying the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of this organization across the globe. For example, in the developing world, one of the NGO’s strengths is the availability of funds necessary for restructuring and recovering health systems, providing people with adequate care. Also, Mercy Corps offers emergency relief that cannot be allocated by local governments, and does not cooperate with military regimes, which means that it is people-centric (Fundamentals of Management 34; The Parliament of Great Britain 110). One weakness is that Mercy Corps is financed by governments. Moreover, its financial aid is temporary. This is closely connected to a threat of being banned and opposed by a government or ruling party that uses poor healthcare as a tool for controlling people. However, this NGO is known for having refused governmental capital when it was deployed as a tool for directing the organization’s activities and limiting its public programs (Muennig and Su 101). As for opportunities, Mercy Corps funds environmental projects. This means that the NGO contributes to global health improvement in the long run (Griffin and Moorhead 29). Furthermore, it addresses economic issues, as Mercy Corps’ volunteers teach how to develop sustainable manufacturing and solve economic matters, thus addressing the problem of low income and contributing to better access to healthcare services (Management 135).

With regard to developed countries with high incomes, the impact of this organization is less noticeable, as their governments allocate enough resources for health protection. This is the primary weakness of the NGO. Nevertheless, there is opportunity for granting financial aid to those who are not covered by governmental aid, e.g., are not entitled to such programs as Medicaid in the United States, but still cannot afford to pay for health insurance. One more opportunity is finding additional funds in high-income countries that can be redirected to those in need in the developing world.

In summary, Mercy Corps’ influence on health is significant and robust in low-income countries, especially those that are politically instable, due to inadequate resources and funding in the healthcare sector. However, when speaking of the high-income countries, the role of this NGO under consideration is minimal, and its activities remain unnoticed because of sufficient financial reserves and economic might.

Works Cited

Cooper, Andrew F. Governing Global Health: Challenge, Response, Innovation. New York: Routledge, 2016. Print.

Griffin, Ricky, and Gregory Moorhead. Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

Griffin, Ricky. Fundamentals of Management. Boston: Cengage, 2016. Print.

Griffin, Ricky. Management. Boston: Cengage, 2013. Print.

Muennig, Peter, and Celina Su. Introducing Global Health: Practice, Policy, Solutions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bess, 2013. Print.

Singer, Merrill, and Derrick Hodge. The War Machine and Global Health: A Critical Medical Anthropological Examination of the Human Costs of Armed Conflict and the International Violence Industry. Lanham: AltaMira Press, 2010. Print.

The Parliament of Great Britain. The Comprehensive Approach: The Point of War Is Not Just to Win but to Make a Better Peace. London: The Stationery Office Limited, 2010. Print.

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