Year: 1993 Setting: Chevron hospital in Papua New Guinea Position: Chief medical officer I have been working in Papua New Guinea for one month and …
Category: Global health
Algae-fueled garbage-patch cleanup
The current Stanford Magazine tipped me off to an appealing effort to clean up the oceans, especially the swirling masses of plastic, which threaten wildlife …
A pesky tropical rash
Year: 1980 Setting: Beach in Martinique Position: Tropical diseases specialist, Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital, Paris It is my first summer holiday after joining the tropical diseases department …
Researchers developing "dipstick" test for parasite infections
Health-care workers in developing countries may one day be able to use a simple test comprised of a chemical dye and blacklight to determine if …
A new lifestyle
Year: 1988 Setting: Lifou Island, New Caledonia Position: Private general practitioner It is the wedding season and almost every weekend I am invited by a …
No respite for the weary
Year: 1998 Setting: Yi villages, Yunnan province, China Position: Medical mission leader It is about one week before Christmas and we have been working in …
When your worst wish comes true and it makes you better
Year: 1983 Setting: Ikoyi branch of the St. Francis Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria Position: Private general practitioner About 70 percent of my patients are locals, …
When your best is not enough
Year: 1994 Setting: Chevron Hospital in Papua New Guinea Position: Chief medical officer There are a few villagers living near the hospital, and often kids …
Political no man’s land
Year: 1988 Setting: We, Lifou, New Caledonia Position: Private general practitioner On Nov. 18, six months after the killing of 19 Kanaks (the indiginous Melanesian …
Communicating with the patient
In settings where no lab tests, X-rays or other diagnostic help is available, the diagnostic process relies on taking an accurate history of the disease …
Knowing when to bend the rules
Year: 1990 Setting: Hut in We, Lifou Position: Private general practitioner in New Caledonia A small familial delegation comes to my office one morning asking …
Treating the injured amid the apocalypse of Haiti
Over the last two days, I have spoken to seven caregivers at Stanford who treated earthquake victims in Haiti, all describing what they experienced as …
Individual vs. public health
Year: 1993 Setting: Mendi Hospital, Southern Highlands province, Papua New Guinea Position: Chief medical officer for Chevron Chevron is contributing to the budget of Mendi …
Rescuing Haiti's HIV/AIDS patients
Among the many aftershocks of the Haitian earthquake is that it left thousands of HIV/AIDS patients in dire need of medical help, including medication. Before …
Generating ideas
Year: 1995 Setting: Ialibu Hospital, Papua New Guinea Position: Chief medical officer for Chevron, Papua New Guinea Mission: Delivering a check to the manager of …
Some perspectives on Haiti
The current relief and rescue efforts are being hampered by the chronic, dismal state of the Haitian physical infrastructure (communication, transportation, health-care network, sanitation, urban …