Introduction
Public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic have posed a significant problem to the global health systems. Disparities and access to healthcare among the general population during the pandemic have widely been witnessed in several countries. Geographical and racial disparities in access to care have detrimental effects on both families’ and communities’ health, stability, and well-being (Pfefferbaum & North, 2020).
The aftermaths are vulnerability, consternation, psychological exclusion, and marginalization due to trade loss, employment and school shutdowns, insufficient health resources, and insufficient dissemination of essentials (Pfefferbaum & North, 2020). Through the case study scenario established, this paper aims to discuss the variables affecting healthcare access, approaches to reduce healthcare disparities, and interventions to enhance access to healthcare among the global population.
Case Study Scenario
Mary is a 25-year-old first-time mother living in a rural setting in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in Central Alaska. Additionally, she is an immigrant from Mexico who came to the United States to seek employment for better and raised living standards. Her child developed fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting within the past 14 hours. Although she has checked with the local market, she only has pain relievers, which do not work with the child. To get a proper diagnosis and care for her child, Mary is forced to travel 276 miles to the nearest town, Anchorage, which she hopes will save her ailing child.
Upon her arrival at one of the medical facilities in Anchorage, she realizes that one must have health insurance to receive care from the clinic. The health professional does not give Mary much attention because of her racial background, and she is forced to wait a bit longer. Moreover, the physician who receives her finds it difficult conversing with Mary since she cannot fluently speak and understand English. Despite lacking a health insurance plan, the clinician takes her baby for diagnosis as she awaits the test result. Upon completion of the diagnosis, the clinician revealed to her that her child had contracted COVID-19, and as such, it was prudent that the child is treated immediately.
What can we do to stem the rising tide of COVID-19 cases?
Various guidelines have been provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) on several mitigating techniques that would help reduce the transmission of COVID-19. To reduce the escalating number of the virus, individuals with severe diseases should be followed and handled at the very least via electronic medical counseling, distinguishing those who demand immediate care (Mauro et al., 2020). Mauro et al. (2020) insinuate that in reducing the increase in COVID-19, designing outpatient services for individuals with chronic conditions could be accomplished using semi-automated intelligent systems to avert progressive deterioration of the underlying disorders. On the other hand, individuals with moderate diseases could be treated outside of the clinic through telemedicine.
It is vital to provide a prompt distribution of all care facilities dispensing pharmaceuticals by providing formula instructions to the client’s home, minimizing unwanted hospitalizations. To the extent possible, emphasizing the necessity of medication adherence may help alleviate generalized stress (Mauro et al., 2020). There is an immediate need to treat all emergency patients, as well as the frailest patients. They require immediate healthcare access, adequate practice quality, and dedicated preventative protocols and policies against the danger of COVID-19 transmission.
Additionally, eating nutritious foods and vitamins to help boost the body’s immunity would significantly reduce the rising cases of COVID-19. Antioxidants raise the frequency of T-cell subgroups, improve lymphocytic reactivity to mitogens, boost interleukin-2 secretion, strengthen natural killer cellular activities, and accelerate reactivity to viral infection (Muscogiuri et al., 2020). Muscogiuri et al. (2020) enumerate that individuals can easily obtain vitamins from fruits and vegetables such as walnut, corn, sunflower, and green leafy vegetables. These techniques would help reduce the rate of infection of COVID-19 among the general population.
How can we enhance global healthcare in light of the growing number of instances of Covid-19?
To enhance the global population’s health amid the pandemic, public awareness and sensitization measures undertaken by state and non-governmental agencies would promote their well-being. Various platforms such as social media and graffiti could help the general population spread the virus; for instance, COVID-19 is spread via respiratory droplets. Therefore, covering coughs and belches with a handkerchief or a curved elbow rather than their hands can help prevent transmission. If these instructions are not implemented, hands may spread Covid-19. Consequently, whenever possible, washing their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, preferably before and after dealing with others, could promote their safety. In populations where water may be scarce, disinfecting their hands with an antibacterial soap could prove effective.
Stressing the importance of adherence to the COVID-19 protocols set by the government, such as staying at home and avoiding social gatherings, could help enhance the well-being of the global population. Additionally, the most at-risk individuals are the elderly and those with underlying chronic conditions. Therefore, to encourage their wellness, social functions can be canceled to protect them (Kuwahara et al., 2020). Considering that the effects of social detachment may vary according to the spreading circumstances and prevalence of the infection, it should be done with caution. Adults who live in communities should be supplied with practical knowledge to maintain an acceptable degree of community involvement.
Conclusion
In conclusion, healthcare disparities and access should be an essential topic of discussion across various states. The disparities associated with geographical distribution, poverty in its associated forms, race, income, and language spoke affect access to adequate care. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, social awareness should be enhanced to ensure that the general population has access to the relevant information regarding its spread and containment to improve the overall well-being of all.
References
Kuwahara, K., Kuroda, A., & Fukuda, Y. (2020). COVID-19: Active measures to support community-dwelling older adults. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 36, 101638. Web.
Mauro, V., Lorenzo, M., Paolo, C., & Sergio, H. (2020). Treat all COVID 19-positive patients, but do not forget those negative with chronic diseases. Internal and Emergency Medicine, 15, 787-790. Web.
Muscogiuri, G., Barrea, L., Savastano, S., & Colao, A. (2020). Nutritional recommendations for CoVID-19 quarantine. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74(6), 850-851. Web.
Pfefferbaum, B., & North, C. S. (2020). Mental health and the Covid-19 pandemic. New England Journal of Medicine, 383(6), 510-512. Web.