University of Stirling researcher, Dr Gaylor Hoskins is to travel to India with Save the Children to observe the country’s health worker crisis first hand.
Dr Hoskins, a clinical research fellow in The Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health professions Research Unit, will make the journey as part of a group of five British health/social care professionals. The delegation hope to gain a better understanding of the challenges of providing and accessing health care in India through meeting health workers in Delhi and Rajasthan.
Dr Hoskins said: “6.9 million children under 5 die every year from preventable causes including TB, Malaria and Malnutrition. Doctors, nurses and midwives are vital to help children survive. Without them, no vaccine can be administered, no life-saving drugs prescribed and no woman can be given expert care during childbirth. During my visit, I hope to find out more about the issues health workers face on a daily basis and the difficulties families have in accessing healthcare. It is going to be an educational and emotional experience.”
Putting the health crisis into context, Simon Wright, Head of Child Survival at Save the Children, said: “In India there are fewer than 17 doctors, midwifes and nurses per 10,000 people. Health workers play such a vital role in reducing maternal and child mortality. Save the Children is calling for more health workers who are better resourced in free publicly-funded health services.”
Whilst on the ground, Dr Hoskins will also see the difference International aid and programmes run by Save the Children are making to people’s lives in India.
Later this year, a group of health workers from India will visit the UK to speak about the health worker crisis and the need to take action to train and equip more health workers.