Medical Technology Innovation for low to Middle Income Countries

As Americans we have the luxury of waking up every morning with technology all around us, it’s basically a part of us. Not only is technology advancing everyday socially, but it is exploding in the medical field, especially, during a pandemic we need to move fast to find a vaccine. Knowing this I have always wondered what low- and middle-income countries were doing not only for Covid but other medical situations. The article by Ecology, Environment & Conservation, “Medical technology innovation for a sustainable impact in Low- and Middle-Income countries: a holistic approach” opens eyes on what medical technology looks like. Countries in Africa and some in Asia who are considered low- or middle-income countries don’t have the finances to boost medical technology so many people don’t get adequate attention. For example, if someone in Somalia has a hairline fracture in their arm “doctors” would think it’s just a bruise because they don’t have x-rays or sufficient techonology. This article reiterates that by saying, “The case of diagnostic X-ray imaging is particularly striking: 125 years after its invention, up to two thirds of the world population still does not have access to radiology services, according to the World Health Organization” (2020). This is mind boggling to me, 125 years ago Wilhelm Roentgen created the first x-ray and two thirds of the world population still does not have access to what we think is simple medical technology. The World Health Organization needs to donate or let these countries purchase at a cheap price some medical technology. Imagine going to a “hospital” in one of these countries and them not having an answer to your problem? Living in the United States we have the luxury of being fixed up right away and normally we know what the problem is. Yes, we should worry about the American people first but as a human race we have to do something. Once we address the needs of these low to middle income nations, we could see better products be industrialized by these nations. The thinking is the more of these countries that catch up with medical technology could develop their own type of technology that could better not only their country but the world as a whole. The Corona virus pandemic did set us back, but when we all come together as people instead of revere ourselves to nations, the human race will be unstoppable down the road.

Medical technology innovation for a sustainable impact in Low- and Middle-Income countries: a holistic approach. (2020, July 24). Ecology, Environment & Conservation, 207. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A629910734/AONE?u=sunybuff_main&sid=AONE&xid=9a319998