Abstract
Exposure to preventable communicable diseases will be a constant for most volunteers going to areas where resources are limited and the public health infrastructure suboptimal or nonexistent. With ease of accessibility to almost anywhere in the world, health-care providers can travel on short notice, most for short periods of time, to provide needed assistance in under-resourced areas. While some of the provision of health-care services may be to areas or countries with severely limited resources but that are stable, a significant number are to areas of acute disease outbreaks, natural disasters, population displacements, or conflict. Many health-care workers may need to provide care in extreme conditions with negligible or absent health-care infrastructure, lack of basic hygienic supplies, high risk of infectious diseases acquisition, and encounters with violent acts including kidnappings.
In examining disease, we gain wisdom about anatomy and physiology and biology. In examining the person with disease, we gain wisdom about life. – Oliver Sacks
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Maxwell, C.J., Sledge, S. (2019). Perspectives on Global Health and Volunteerism for Healthcare Providers: The Importance of Preparation, Identification and Management of Infectious Diseases, and Mitigation of Other Risks. In: Olivier, M., Croteau-Chonka, C. (eds) Global Health and Volunteering Beyond Borders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98660-9_3
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