Health Care and The Peace Process
The Things One Person Can Do To Increase World Health and Peace
May 24, 2007
Health Care and the Peace Process
People who feel better, function better. People who feel better and function better, make better choices for themselves and their family. Then they make better choices for their community and their world.
Manual Therapists and Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners have an opportunity, every time they see a client, to help that individual feel better and function better. Thus starts a cycle of peace.
What Can One Person Do?
Anyone, everyone can contribute to peace processes in the world.
Educate yourself and your family and your community about everything, life, the world, your community. Education is a great tool against hate, conflict and often encourages peace. It is hard to hate an individual you can imagine getting up, getting ready to go to work, and leaving their family as they go off to make reality their dreams.
Donate time, energy, things, money, prays to causes that support peace.
Buy Fair Trade. Buy from organizations that support peace and equity.
Contribute to your own health, to your family, to your community, to your world. Help yourself and other people feel better.
Think and Hope: As Margaret Mead said, "A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
The Association Between Health and Peace
A number of organizations are exploring the ability of health care workers to contribute directly and actively to both the health and peace process around the world.
"The association between violent conflict and health was further stressed in 1981 when the World Health Assembly passed a resolution that acknowledged the role of physicians and other health workers in the preservation and promotion of peace as the most important factor for the attainment of health for all" –– Griekspoor A, Loretti A. Health and peace: an opportunity to join forces. Lancet 2001:358:1183.
One Woman's Contribution at the Shufat Refugee Camp
Ann Admon, PT, IMTC is contributing to the peace process in the Middle East. An American born, Jewish Israeli, Ann is volunteering on a weekly basis at the Shufat Refugee Camp in Jerusalem. She is bridging cultures by using Integrative Manual Therapy, a unique form of hands-on therapy to treat Palestinian refugees.
Run under the auspices of the Al Quds Charitable Society for Disabled and Rehabilitation Shufat Camp Jerusalem is situated about 4 km from Jerusalem, surrounded by Israeli colonies.
It hosts 22,000 persons. All are officially declared refugees by UNRWA, but a proper census has never been carried out. On the average the families are composed of 7.73 persons and the average age is 17. Shufat Refugee camp was created in 1966,when the Jordanian Government and the UN made the Palestinian habitants relocate, with the promise of new houses and land to cultivate.
"By treating with this hands-on therapy, healing on many levels can take place. Physical, emotional, mental and spiritual", says Admon, who lives in Jerusalem and wants to make a difference for both Jewish Israelis and Palestinians.
"It can bring about better health, lessen pain and stress and address disabilities caused by traumatic and/or emotional injuries. This treatment can also address physical and emotional issue among the many children who live here. Many of the children have impaired physical development and learning disabilities," continues Admon, the mother of three children.
But foremost this project is about acknowledging the suffering of a people with the same dreams and hope for a better future, as we all have, for themselves, their children and future generations.
It is about the bridging of cultures, Palestinian and Israeli, "we are all brothers and sisters". It is about changing belief systems, showing compassion and love.
