RESUMO
The theme of the joint 14th World Congress of Bioethics and 7th National Bioethics Conference Congress “Health for all in an unequal world: Obligations of global bioethics” is of critical relevance in the present global context. Although the world is better off in terms of improved health status of people by many measures than before, there exist colossal gaps across and within populations. Much needs to be done to respond to the lack of access to healthcare, poor quality of living and working conditions, and deteriorating quality of overall environment which affects more adversely the already deprived. We take this opportunity to make a few observations about the current status of affairs on this front, and offer brief analytical insights into the complex origins of the global health scenario characterised by disparities. We revisit the original conception of bioethics and suggest that it is well placed to respond to the current global crisis of inexorably widening disparities in health and wealth, and that global bioethics has an obligation to engage with this crisis.
RESUMO
Teaching at the bedside is a time-tested and traditional method of instilling the basics of medical practice in students. In fact every medical student looks forward to “clinics at the bedside.” The students see clinical signs, hear murmurs and palpate organs with excitement and enthusiasm. The teachers in turn demonstrate disease manifestations with zing and zeal. It is here that basic clinical skills as well as “bedside manners” are acquired by the students. Each patient is a chapter of a medical text book to be written in the grey matter of the student.
RESUMO
This guide is the culmination of regional consultations on teaching medical ethics in the WHO South-East Asia Region (WHO SEARO) consisting of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka. A review conducted by WHO in 2008 concluded that the subject is in a state of infancy in these countries and recommended that measures be taken to improve the situation.