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Health issues in Ecuador

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This is an interview with someone from any country other than the USA about health issues and answers in your country and the USA.

1) Cite country of orgin
2) What are the health issues in your country of orgin?
3) How is your country dealing with them?
4) What is your country doing wrong? What is it doing right?
5) What needs to be done?
6) How can it get done?
7) What do you personally think about health and healthcare issues in America and how would you fix them?

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Solution Summary

The solution involves analyzing the health issues prevalent in a foreign country(Ecuador) including discussion of govenment strategies to combat outbreak and provide healthcare to the population. There is also a comparison on health issues in Ecuador and the USA, and a personal opinion as a health care provider on how they can be improved.

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Hi,
Although I am from the USA, I studied, trained and worked as a physician in Quito Ecuador (spent 15 years there). Hope the answers will help you in this assignment.
Thank you for using BrainMass.

To understand the health problems and issues in Ecuador, you need to understand the socio-economical system that exists. Ecuador is divided in regions (mountain, jungle, coast and Galapagos), each with its own culture and health believes. Around 60% of the population is either unemployed or underemployed and 53% of the indigenous population has only primary education (Pan American Health Organization, 2001). Even though they have free primary (having to pay only for school supplies), and secondary education (having to pay a small fee and school supplies), children are pulled out from school to work alongside the parents on the field or just because the parents think they don't need to spend any more on the children's education.

The health care system is composed of public and private institutions. The public sector runs approximately 85% of the health facilities and is comprised of:
1) The Ministry of Public Health (MPH)which runs health centers and hospital networks defined by geographic and population areas. It gives services to all population usually for free and is finance by the government.
2) The Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS) which runs its own network of services and outsourced. Its services are only available to the working population and their family. It is finance by a fixed contribution from the employers. The MPH and the IESS together have the largest health care infrastructure across the country.
3) The Armed Forces and Police Health Services financed by the Ministries of Defense and Government and access restricted to its members and families;
And some private institutions that offer free care like:
1) the Guayaquil Welfare Board (JBG) and the Guayaquil Children's Protection Society depend on the income generated by the local lottery; and
2) the Cancer Society (SOLCA) and
3) Ecuadorian Red Cross.

The private sector (approximately15% of the services) expects payment in cash and some institutions have started offering pre-paid medical services. The latter are used by 2% of the high income ...

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