The SCORPion issue 4

Fourth Edition

The SCORPion

IFMSA

The mission of IFMSA

was founded in May 1951 and is run by medical students, for medical students, on a non-profit basis. IFMSA is officially recognised as a nongovernmental organisation within the United Nations’ system and has official relations with the World Health Organisation. It is the international forum for medical students, and one of the largest student organisations in the world.

is to offer future physicians a comprehensive introduction to global health issues. Through our programs and opportunities, we develop culturally sensitive students of medicine, intent on influencing the transnational inequalities that shape the health of our planet.

Imprint Editor in Chief Ekaterine Buadze Content Editors Diana Tashkova Esther Vroege Helena Chapman Design/Layout Nino Tchilaia Lara Hessels Hassan Aboul-Nour

Publisher

International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations General Secretariat: IFMSA c/o WMA B.P. 63 01212 Ferney-Voltaire, France Phone: +33 450 404 759 Fax: +33 450 405 937 Email: gs@ifmsa.org Homepage: www.ifmsa.org

Contacts

publications@ifmsa.org Printed in Ghana.

EDITORIAL Ekaterine Buadze Editor in Chief

By the time you are reading this, IFMSA General Assembly is knocking on the door with the most amazing sessions, presentations and workshops.

Thinking of the moment when hundreds of medical students unite for peace, dignity, human rights and bright future, most of us remembers Standing Committee of Human Rights and peace - SCORP. SCORP can be freely compared to the live organism consisting of hundreds of small pieces, working day by day for the better future in the world.

Hundreds of medical students from all over the world are ready to speak up about human rights, peace, injustice, violence.

The 4th edition of The SCORPion is to focus on the Standing Committee of Human rights and peace, on development of the committee, new projects, members, ideas, suggestions, and visions. This publication gave opportunity to every member of SCORP to express themselves, their ideas, future plans, new projects, campaigns.

When given a task of being editor of The SCORPion, I cannot lie; the feeling was amazing, although at the same time it was a huge responsibility. However, The SCORPion 4th edition would not have existed without the most amazing, motivated, dedicated editorial team, who worked continuously on the publication. I would like to thank every member of editorial team for their work, every author for their spirit, dedication, and character which they showed in the articles.

I hope you will enjoy this publication and get more inspired with new projects and events conducted by SCORP all around the world.

Warm wishes from Georgia.

Message from the director Dear Readers,

I am extremely happy to present to you

the outcome of the hard work of our members in the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace. I hope these brilliant individuals who have shown their initiative and dedication to Human rights inspire you as much as they do to me.

Fares K. Al-Fares Director on Human Rights & Peace 2011-2012 | IFMSA

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As you turn through the pages, you will see the thoughts, ideas, and outcomes of the great “SCORPions” who have done so much to make this a possibility. We should always remember the television or read the news; we find there are millions suffering. Be it those starving in the Horn of Africa, the victims of violence in Syria, those in the Philippines struggling to survive, or any other issues that harm our fellow humans; we should always stand up and give something to help those in need.

The events that have taken place in the past year (2011) have been incredible as we have seen the struggles, victories, and incredible moments that have etched this year into history. One does not need to be a future physician to be an advocate of Human Rights, but all of us have a responsibility to protect his fellow man. As Voltaire had best put it “Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do”.

Again, you will be inspired by the local, national, and international activities of these incredible individuals. My colleagues in SCORP have moved the world with their hard work and brilliant ideas. Their opinions and words also help one think and look into the importance of Human Rights and Peace.

This standing committee is one that continues to touch my heart and create a burning passion throughout the world that cannot be extinguished by the cold of oppression and violence. The pride I take in the members of SCORP cannot be matched, and you shall understand as you read their articles and activities.

Lastly, I would like to thank the incredible editor in chief Ekaterina Buadze for her commitment, and hard work in making this publication possible. Also thanks to the great individuals working with her - Diana Tashkova, Esther Vroege, Helena Chapman and Nino Tchilaia on the editorial team. If it was not for these wonderful people, then this publication would have not even been a possibility. So please, enjoy this publication and see the magic that comes out of this Standing Committee.

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Issue 4

SCORP & importance of human rights Ricardo Zules | IFMSA Ecuador | SCORP Regional assistant for the Americas

After the terrible conflict of World War II, humanity realized the serious situation that everybody was living worldwide; the fear and uncertainty was powering human kind especially after 50 million people decease in this terrible tragedy. Nobody knew what was going to happened next and sadness was the main feeling around the environment.

In December 10 of 1948, Human kind did one of the most important acts of faith to established peace and respect around the world; they notice the importance of a Universal Declaration of Human Rights that protects everybody from atrocities that could be committed to them or to their population. Nowadays, despite the establishment created 63 years ago; people continue breaking human rights because of the economical and social inequity that exists around the world that limits human kind, where money is the controlling machine in each one of us; a machine that consumes the consciousness of society.

It is time for us to be part of the changing system; those who enhance the importance of human rights and promote them in our daily activities. Is necessary to create and raise awareness to all population. Pitifully every day in many places around the world, we don’t notice about the aggression of human rights because the situation that surrounds our population is infested with violation of them; children working in the streets, poverty, deficiency in medical attention, inequality in economical resources.

The best way to get to people’s minds is through action. We need to share to the world that human beings have the ability to design ideas that will improve our existence. That’s the main objective that SCORP in PAMSA has. Our committee in the Americas is developing strategies to strengthen the regional structure so we can continue creating projects and activities that will lead to the main goal.

It’s important to highlight that is not going to www.ifmsa.org

have a quick result and is not going to be one person’s job. It’s going to be a baby step work that finally will raise as a strong and fruitful standardization that will maintain proactive and inspire to all SCORP members in PAMSA and hopefully all over the world

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Where varieties unite in one HEARTBEAT Monika Szamosová IFMSA SCORP Regional Assistant for Europe Human rights situation in European region is on the

ject trying to raise funds to build a health clinic in the

whole believed by many to be good. However, the

northern part of Ghana; international undocumented

current need of action from many non-governmental

immigrants right to health care projects; Equip project

organizations is still present in a huge extent.

collects medical equipment and sends it to partners

The history of human rights in European region is

in developing countries; health education projects in

marked by a contradictory combination of legislative

refuges centers; positive images and lots more.

and intellectual progress on one side and on the oth-

You can look for more projects at SCORP Database,

er one by violations of fundamental human rights in

here I would like to stress that those who have not put

both the colonies of Europe and at home. It is not only

their projects up into the database, do not hesitate to

non-governmental organizations that contribute by

do so, we are eager to hear about your projects and

their piece for the improvement of the situation. As a

learn from them!

Regional Assistant and Scorpion I cannot forget about

My vision of the future of this region is connected to

Scorpions who do not build walls around themselves

Buddha´s thought.

to ignore the injustice around them, working with

In my vision European Scorpions are thousands of

hopeful heart and aware mind for bringing support

candles that are lit from a single candle, SCORP, with-

where needed. At this occasion, let me to dedicate

out shortening the life of that candle. Happiness never

this article to all European Scorpions with compassion-

decreases by being shared. That is what I would like us

ate hearts and helping hands.

more to do. To inform each other about ongoing pro-

Immigration and asylum seekers, human trafficking,

jects and plans, because despite borders between

racism and intolerance, minority groups, ongoing

European countries that is paced by legislative, there

conflicts – these are the most common areas related

are none.

to violation of human rights in European region, how-

I believe we always have the big-heartedness to

ever the violations vary from one National Member

learn, understand and appreciate others. If we greet

Organization to another. Some of the European NMOs

the world in this spirit, the ´Circle of SCORP´ is sure to

do not face the same infringements as their neighbors

grow. With many months ahead of us, I want us to cre-

and hence this is a factor influencing the national ac-

ate a common mark that will be left after us for other

tivities of member organizations. At the present, there

Scorpions or NMOs deciding to join SCORP. Together

are loads of various European projects that are amaz-

we can promote SCORP to one of the most recog-

ing, for example – METIS: Student Movement Working

nizable pillars of IMFSA. In the end, I would like to ex-

Against Health Access Inequalities; 3om1 is a project

press my huge thanks owing to all of you, European

about finding sponsors for school children in Calcut-

Scorpions, for doing more than just existing. Please,

ta, Embracing Diversity; Student Ambulatory; writing

do remember that I am always here for you to assist

letters with Amnesty International;

you and help you in your projects or hesitations and

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Ashipti is a pro-

The SCORPion | MM 2012

Issue 4 uncertainties. You show that nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Your chromosomes have combined beautifully! You are inspiration to this world.

Therefore may P.E.A.C.E. always be with you. Positive Energy Always Creates Elevation. Joy is portable, so remember to bring it with you while running your projects.

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SCORPions, we are all only a heartbeat away from

improving.

The big hug for the small

Diana Tashkova Association of Medical Students in Bulgaria

Bulgarian medical students from AMSB promote the values of solidarity and equality with a project called „The big hug for the small”. The target group consists of orphans who are accommodated in orphanages in the country. The main idea is to teach children (4 - 12 years old) the basic knowledge of human body which is important for them as part of their culture. As the study programme in most of the orphanages is’t very vast, the students from the Medical University are eager to share their knowledge and to contribute to the intellectual development of the kids. Every second week of the month in the afternoon around seven students go in the orphanages. The orphans are taught about the human body and hygiene by playing many games, drawing.

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The lessons start with an introduction of the topic, after that there are questions and the education finishes with games. All the children who participate actively and answer the questions receive a small present such as a star or a crown. The kids and the youths are singing songs, playing and painting together.

As a result, the children not only get knowledge but they feel loved and respected. They meet youths who are interested in them, who want to play, to discuss different topics and to have fun together. The approach is different to every child but happy moments are the most important.

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The big family of the future Dimitrios Peichamperis LORP - 5th year medical student Democritus University of Thrace

From the very beginning of my career in IFMSA

there were so many people around me, so many different thoughts, so many great ideas and so many, breathtaking, brilliant and incredibly stunning photos and videos.

It was summer of 2010, a summer “hotter than ever” when I made a decision to visit Ghana in order to participate in a professional exchange program to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in the city of Kumasi, Ghana. My involvement with our local committee here in Alexandroupolis, Greece was not so enriched and I was not so devoted until that time. But there was something extraordinary on this trip for me.

It was the push that inspired me to start working with IFMSA in a more regular way than in the past. That was my first real experience in human rights issues, my first real experience in SCORP’s field. And of course I will always remember these amazing moments and especially through my pictures and my videos…

After my return from Ghana, where I had spent more than 40 days, I got involved with SCORP as the Local Officer on Human Rights and Peace of my med school, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. In the first months we had lots of obstacles as most of our team didn’t know anything about human rights issues and in many cases they didn’t even care about

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these subjects. One of our first attempts was to start blogging. And yes we tried to inspire more of our colleagues through publishing articles accompanied with some appropriate pictures and videos.

Admittedly Friends without Borders an initiative Supported by Facebook Inc. and the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab. was one of the biggest boosts to my work. I have been selected as a Peace Champion for Greece. Here is some information about the project: The Friends without Borders global peace-building campaign has nominated eight world youth Peace Champions from regions challenged by conflict - Israel and Palestine, India and Pakistan, Greece and Turkey, Kosovo and Serbia. The Peace Champions have been selected as a Facebook cross-border friendship pair in conflict regions. The initiative is supported by Facebook, Inc. who publishes daily friending rates across all our four regions at http://peace.facebook.com/.

The project brings together the immediate power of information and communications technologies and video storytelling to increase mutual respect, trust and understanding among youth from all eight countries by promoting social and cultural self-expression. The campaign provides a forum for trusted social engagement, and allows young people to connect with new and old friends with different cultures and beliefs in real-time across unlimited locations. The Facebook platform has created a space for youth from different sides of the four conflicts get to know each other without the constraints of distance or interceptive media. The Peace Champion friendship pairs from each region will act as ambassadors for the campaign by sharing their own story of friendship on video. They will inspire others to engage in friendship and peace-building on Facebook in ways that will help progress positive inter-country, intra-regional and inter-personal relations. Many months later there was a huge progress and our local team was obviously getting stronger and more interested in human rights issues. SCORP Human Rights Day

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Issue 4 2011 video contest was a great chance for us to test ourselves and to express our passion and concerns for

a better world. Even if we had requested and confirmed our participation at the last minute, we finally did it! Our video was one of the two winning videos and hundreds of SCORPions shared, through social media, our message for an “Adequate and affordable healthcare accessible to everyone” to every single corner of this world. Finally what I wanted to mention is that your pictures and your videos could help to make our world a better place in so many different

ways. Photos from your visits to IFMSA meetings, videos from your local projects, even from your adventurous exchanges, they are all very useful tools in some way.

Remember you could use them to promote your work and in order to share your dreams for a better world.

Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world, because there’s nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams. Also remember that people have always had a natural curiosity about the past. History is an important part of both education and personal enjoyment. It is especially interesting to learn about your own family’s history. Preserving your family photos for future generations is one way to keep important memories safe and accessible. You can create a family history photo book to keep track of the precious memories and important events within your family. IFMSA and SCORP as every big family need to have their own family photo albums.

I wish the best of luck to my Ghanaians friends for the upcoming March Meeting 2012.

Warm regards from Greece.

Educating SCORP Right now!

Esra Dede IFMSA- the Netherlands

I can safely say that we medical students are one of the most uneducated of all students. We are great in our own field, we learn about the most interesting diseases and we prepare ourselves to dedicate our lives to our patients. We will be the medical researchers of the future doing research on important medical problems and trying to develop new ways of treatment. But outside the medical world we are clueless.

We don’t have philosophy, sociology or economy classes. Outside our medical world, we are in fact quite lost.

That’s why I’m so glad IFMSA has the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace. This committee broadens our horizon and enables us to talk about the problems we see all around us. I believe SCORP is the foundation of IFMSA, everything we do involves our rights. But even with our Standing Committee, we still don’t have a clue. Being a SCORPion is one thing, but to actually know what’s going on is a whole different story. If we want a new generation of doctors who have their own opinion on worldwide issues and are willing to discuss this with other professionals, we need to educate them.

SCORP-NL has made a small step to educate her

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own SCORPions and other members. We released our first human rights newsletter called Right Now. In this newsletter we write about local and international human rights issues, we interview a SCORPion and we have a column. We don’t copy paste from mainstream news, our goal is to ask local people. For instance interview them on human rights in Iran or the political situation in Egypt. We also try to encourage our members to do research on a topic they like and write an article about it. We’ll make sure they get in touch with the local SCORPions and revise their work if necessary. Apart from this we will also organize human rights trainings and debate events to further educate our members. Hopefully this will be the start of a more active and involved SCORP in our NMO and will it also motivate other members to think outside the medical box. If you want to follow us by adding us on Facebook, our name is “Pax Fortyeight”. PAX stands for Peace and 48 stands for 1948, the year the declaration of human rights was adopted by the United Nations. We will also send the newsletter to the general SCORP server so every SCORPion can read it. It’s time to educate ourselves. Right Now!

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Peace, the doctor’s choice Onise Mebonia

IFMSA Georgia, Georgian Young Medics’ Union Every doctor in training on their first year of study realizes that being a doctor is not just profession; it is a way of life. Our main concern is the preservation of human life.

As it has been said ours is the most humane of all professions. So we view events from a different angle.

Every day we see horrible things around us: discrimination, humiliation, killing, rape and it pains us to witness these horrors. As we study the science of medicine, we realize more each and every day just how valuable human life really is. Everybody is a walking, talking miracle of nature and each person is unique. So, we believe that we should try to make the world see from our point of view. We will try to make them understand how marvelous the living being can be so that the “IFMSA Standing Sergo Dzamashvili Committee of Human Rights and peace” will be built into society’s thoughts. In doing so, we believe that people will begin to better understand and develop higher

Aleksandra Gvenetadze

Archil Agladze

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viewpoints about one another. Around the world there are a myriad of groups with different creeds and cultures who have one thing in common: They are seeking a peaceful life. Together we can end Earth’s long history of settling differences by hating our enemies. Together, we can prove the power of faith and love to make our enemies our friends. Together we have the power to create a wonderful world based on values of love, equality, respect and freedom for all. In order for people to truly be at peace, they first must come to terms with themselves, their surroundings and take action. They must also stand up and take action. Future generations must create a new and peaceful world. Protecting human rights and peace should be implemented in everyday life.

If you defend my rights, then your rights will be defended



Bejan Khelidze

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Issue 4

Palestinian summer 2011 A whole new experience

Omar Abu-Zaydeh | Regional Projects Assistant for the EMR and coordinator of NORPAL project Reham Ghanim | NORP and coordinator of IMSTAR project Last summer Palestinian, Dutch and Norwegian

medical students spent one wonderful and interesting month together on an internship. All had the chance to explore the situation in Palestine, especially in the refugee camps by spending four weeks with the kids in a summer camp. All learned a great deal about this land, its cities and its people! However, the internship did not focus solely on the life in the camps, but also consisted of training at the Palestinian hospitals.

Background: The Dutch students participated in the IMSTAR project, and the Norwegian students experienced the NORPAL SAWA project. The situation for the Palestinians on the West Bank is difficult in regards to economics, politics, health issues, and human rights. The goal of these projects is to give the participants the opportunity to experience the local situation up close and meet other students and citizens who live under these conditions. When the Norwegian and Dutch students return to their countries they will have the responsibility to spread their new knowledge to fellow students.

In this way, we hope to increase the interest of students to get involved in difficult economic or political situations,in their own nation or across the globe.

NORPAL-SAWA is a cooperation project between NMSA, MedFred (IPPNW´s youth organisation) and IFMSA-Nablus (by Al-Najah University) on the West Bank.

IMSTAR, Internship for Medical Students in Action for Refugees, is a cooperation project between IFMSA-Nablus-Palestine and IFMSA-the Netherlands that started two years ago.

IMSTAR 2011 was the third edition of the project.

Where and when: NORPAL SAWA was organized for the first time in July 2011, just as IMSTAR started on July 16, 2011. The projects took place in Nablus, which is the biggest city on the West Bank. The city has about 134 000 inhabitants, where 30000 of them live in refu-

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gee camps. The projects will be arranged again for July 2012.

What: The first week of the project was an introductory week with workshops and lectures on the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the refugee situation and health situation. During the next three weeks, the participants had clinical rotations in the mornings, while other activities were planned for the afternoons.

Students organized a summer camp for the children in one of the refugee camps in the afternoon, to demonstrate life in a refugee camp. They also planned many social activities both in Nablus and around the city. Places visited included parks in Nablus and sightseeing the old cities of Nablus, Sabastya and other ancient villages and Turkish baths. They even coordinated swimming and cooking days.

On weekends small trips were made to visit most cities in the West Bank (Jericho, Hebron, Jenin, Tolkarm, Beth-lahm), to visualize and learn about the Palestinian situation and culture.

The last summer was continuation of our previous work and start of a different experience as well. We look forward to welcoming many other countries that would like to work with us in such projects and develop new ideas that support our issue and give the chance to the world to know us! This is a way we can spread our message of global peace!

And on behalf of my SCORP committee, we feel so proud of past and present accomplishments. Many countries have communicated with us for potential future collaborations! We are hopeful that all IFMSA organizations will have this opportunity to learn about our country!

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Forced Human 1 Rights Mohamed El-Mahdi IFMSA-Egypt

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“My government will protect all liberties but one: the liberty to do away with other liberties”2 their idea in the first place; humans by nature refuse to be told what to do.

It has always been debatable if using force is appropriate in our fight for human rights. Some people say that if you run out of peaceful approaches, force is your shortest way to get to where you want to go.

Such debate won’t cease, it is human nature; to love control and hate to be the one controlled.

But force will provoke counter violence and subsequently we will lose humanity and not only the rights we are fighting for. Also it has been proven psychologically that sometimes humans start to reject any idea or change when it is forced upon them, even if it was

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as working to implement a good value should be through good means, we can’t grant that the cause justifies the means. We can’t justify wars, kills, violence and destruction by the nobility of implementing human rights. Human rights are a universal package, you can’t choose to implement what you think suits you and neglect others, also there is another aspect regarding your human rights shouldn’t interfere with others’.

Another point, using violence and force in your quest for human rights can be used against you. That is why many remember people like Mohandas Gandhi, as one of the most influential practitioners of non-violent resistance, using a unique combination of spiritual and political pressure to achieve humanitarian ends.

(1) The article is written 21 months ago, as part of my group task in the project; http://www.eyhre.org/ (2) Mexican president; Gustavo Diaz Ordaz (1911-1979), from inaugural speech as president.

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Issue 4

Ignorance is the root of discrimination

Myat Hann IFMSA Bahrain

Discrimination has always played a role in the way we as humans live our lives. We put stereotypes on most of our interactions. We judge by gender, race, color, language, social status, even by the clothes we wear.

world-wide epidemics. The economics of a single country affect everyone. We live in a fascinating multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic world. Let us try to understand it!

Why do we as humans judge others? We do not understand them. Why is it that we are more likely to help out a whining dog than a man passed out in a gutter? We have already judged the person without knowing him. Discrimination is not simply making fun of someone or teasing another based on some perceived superficial traits. It is based on deep-seated pre-conceptions that color all further actions we have based on a stereotype learnt from parents, media, friends or any force without understanding them.

I am the girl walking beneath the trees, judge me not from my looks but from the words I say.

I am the boy sitting on a bench; judge me not from my clothes but my actions this day.

I am the woman smiling in the wind, do not judge me instead share the sights that I can see.

I am the man holding his head up high, do not judge me instead why not rejoice with me?

We are entitled to all the rights and freedoms, without distinction of any kind.

We must be judged not from the characters of our bodies, but the shapes of our mind

Every person in the world is a fascinating cascade by the background coming from, including friends, teachers, parents. How can we judge such a myriad collection of different experiences? Many people do not even understand themselves. How can you judge when you do not understand? And if you cannot even judge yourself, how can you judge others? The key is to live without judging, instead live trying to understand. Discrimination comes from a lack of understanding and ignorance is the root of discrimination.

The easiest way to be free from of ignorance is to find the root cause.

In the 21st century we come across many different obstacles that were unknown in the past. We live in an age where the world grows every year; we have

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ď ˝

ď ž

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The Niger River Delta Situation: Oil as a Barrier Owoyemi Jospeh Nigerian Medical Students’ Association College of Health Sciences Obafemi Awolowo University

The Niger River delta is a geographic region of 36,000 square kilometers, located near the coast, where the Niger River forms an area of mangrove forests, lagoons and swamps. The entire Niger River delta is geographically smaller than the state of Texas in the United States.

Just as in the case of Saudi Arabia, the oil industry has permitted the transition of Nigeria from a poor country to become an economic power in petroleum.

In 1956, oil was discovered in Oloibiri (Niger delta), and later it was discovered in all areas of the Niger delta.

Although this delta rich with oil extends about 100 kilometers (60 miles), the reality is that the local population continues to live in impoverished conditions.

Petroleum has dominated the Nigerian economy, the world’s fifth largest producer. Although virtually 100 percent of export earnings and four-fifths of federal revenues are derived from petroleum,1 these economic profits have not been reflected in the daily livingconditions of the average Nigerian citizen.

While oil has brought profit and prosperity to some regions, it has brought pain and suffering to the population of the Niger delta region. Since the advent of the oil exploitation, this industry has hindered the Nigerian delta citizens in their traditional occupations of agriculture and fishing. In addition, the oil industry has not compensated these local citizens from their annual profits. This situation is best reflected in the common phrase, “Water is everywhere, but no one can drink the water.”

The harmful effects of oil spills and environmental pollution have created a great concern for the major water supply from rivers as well as tributaries of the Niger river. First, oil destroys the productivity of sustainable crops in the farmland. Second, the oil film on the water surface blocks penetrating sunlight rays and reduces the level of dissolved oxygen required for aquatic life. Lastly, crude oil can be mortally danger-

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ous for birds and fish as direct contact can damage feathers and gills, respectively.

In the United States, oil companies pay heavy fines whenever oil spills threaten the environment. For example, the British Petroleum company was heavily fined for environmental damages produced after the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and were made responsible for disaster cleanup.

Oil has been a barrier for community residents of the Niger River delta. Despite the consequent environmental pollution from oil spills in the Niger delta region, no tangible efforts have been made by the federal government to make foreign multinationals pay for local environmental destruction. Several Nigerian groups have campaigned actively, to compel the government and major oil companies to introduce and implement environmental safeguards. In 1988, the government created the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) to address problems of oil pollution and land degradation, which had only a minor impact on environmental action.

Various groups have rebelled against the leadership in order to focus attention on the Niger River delta situation. Adaka Boro unsuccessfully attempted to secede the Niger delta, but was overwhelmed by the force of the Nigerian oil industry. More recently, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger delta has emerged to call attention to the delicate Niger delta situation.

In 2009, things took a turn when the Nigerian government declared amnesty to all the militants in addition to creating a Niger delta ministry and road map for the development of the Niger delta.. However, no meaningful achievement has been observed since this date.

Many people comment that there may be two

The SCORPion | MM 2012

Issue 4 reasons why these Niger delta problems still exist. First, the practice of the unitary system (federalism) has provided a platform to focus on the oil industry and respective profits Although many people see no moral in armed violence, I propose the following question: What moral lies in forceful impoverishment, pain and death caused by national leadership that focuses on profit Although I do not anticipate an easy solution, we must all join together and create one single movement that uses the power of our medical education and health awareness.

This movement would not only protect the Niger River delta geography and environmental conditions, but also it would improve the health, wellbeing and prosperity of the community residents.

PROTAP: Provocation to Love the Environment By : Mega Febrianora

Indonesian Medical Student Executive Board Association

To commemorate the Indonesia Young Generation Oath Day and the National Hero Day, the Student Council of the Padjadjaran University School of Medicine collaborated with the Indonesian Medical Student Executive Broad Association (ISMKI) to organize Provocation to Love the Environment (PROTAP),an event organized to plant 1,000 trees on December 11, 2010. This planting program was held at the Bukit Goleah Panorama of the Hegarmanah Village in Jatinangor, West Java. The event participants represented the seventeen universities of the ISMKI area II of Jakarta and West Java. The Office for Forestry and The Military Commander Office of Jatinangor, West Java, also collaborated in this activity. This planting program was chosen as a participatory model for the One Billion Indonesian Trees (OBIT), encouraging community citizens to be more conscious about the environment.

Since floods are common in the Indonesian provinces, especially the disastrous 2010 flooding in the southern areas of Bandung, planting trees are beneficial to maintain the soil structure. Scientists predict that chronic respiratory disease will be a major source of www.ifmsa.org

morbidity in 2025.

As in Indonesia, life in any metropolitan city brings the risk of decreased air quality due to automobiles and factories. For this reason, planting trees is also an excellent way to produce clean air.

In the opening speech, the representative of The Office for Forestry said, “A long time ago, if we wanted to go to the forest, we did not need to take water. Now, we should always bring mineral water. In the next 20 years, it may be necessary to bring oxygen tanks to breathe.”

Through this activity, we hope that we can improve our environment for the future and inspire others to save the forests from destruction. Since trees are the lungs of the world, let’s plant trees for the regeneration of mankind on earth.

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A Report of Travel to Khor Village - Iran Melika Hanifihaa NORP IFMSA- Iran

Saba Hoobehfekr & Shayan Kashefinejad | Project Coordinators

a large space was created for the children to paint and design with pencils. Later, the personal hygiene training workshop allowed medical students to educate the children in accurate dental hygiene, hand washing and personal health. They donated packages of soap, toothbrushes, toothpastes and Kleenex.

Training of Teenage Boys and Girls A group of the female medical students held a session for adolescent girls, where they discussed the developmental stages of puberty, including menstruation and hormonal changes. At the same time, a group of mamedical students held discussions and workshop sessions for adolescent boys about addiction. By showing movies, the visual demonstration included different types of addiction, its damages and prevention approaches.

In September 2011, a group of Tehran University of

Medical Sciences’ students prepared the trip to one of the poor regions of Iran. This group of 10 male and female medical students trained community citizens about health issues and learned about the community needs.

Khor Village has a population of approximately 813 persons,1 located in the Khoosf District of Birjand City in the Southern Khorasan Province. The village lies 70km from the central province of Birjand, and 50km from the city of Khoosf. The main occupations of the rural people are farming and camel ranching. The village has one primary school with 40 students.

Training of Women and Mothers They educated females on preventing undesired pregnancies and family planning methods. Despite living in impoverished conditions, the Khor village has a future potential to increase education levels and health status of residents. Adolescent girls and boys want to continue their education. As medical students initiated these educational sessions with the Khor village residents, they learned about community needs, which can be the focus of future health campaigns to these residents.

Different educational strategies were utilized for the different age ranges, as follows: Training of Children For the ice-breaking session with the children, a painting workshop was organized. Gluing rolls of papers on the walls of the village’s Communication Hall,

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The SCORPion | MM 2012

Issue 4

Yesenia S. Galan 4th Year Medcal Student; UNIBE, Dominican Republic

Bioethics as a way of life

While discussing the criteria of cerebral death, Dr. Miguel Suazo listed the authors we needed to consult for further study on bioethical themes in end of life care. He took a notable pause before continuing, one in which after the paper-shuffling topic changes induce, the class returned to its previous hushed attention. He began to speak about the Puerto Rican ethicist and writer, Dr. Leonides Santos y Vargas. We learned from the selected concise words, he provided details about the work of this man, who was his close friend and intellectual brother. As evidenced by his methods, Dr. Suazo was himself an insatiable learner.

We left filled with more questions than we had upon entering, and it was with great pride that he talked about the formation he had received from his contemporary. Our professor was also adept at presenting the general subject knowledge, then exposing sub-layers that provided a stronger foundation to the prior conclusions drawn. He revealed that Dr. Santos y Vargas was experimenting on a personal level what he once viewed from the perch of academia: the battle of a terminal process of cancer.

As our esteemed professor expressed such admiration for his colleague, in the midst of echoes of sadness and solidarity,it is worth the time to investigate the life and works of this individual. In the following months, I immersed into the required reading in books and articles that presented a kind of lens to view human conduct regarding health issues.

The professors provided these “new glasses” for their students to “wear” and give dimension and weight to medical topics regarding the paradigm of “hospital protocol” and the “doctor-patient relationship”. Concepts, like quality of life and professional morality, intertwined with concepts of medical practice, where health professionals must focus beyond the disease pathophysiology. Diego Gracia’s arguments on the validity of the Hippocratic Oath1 and Jorge Jose Ferrer’s treatise on the responsible use of animals in biomedical investigation2 became the common lunch

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conversation topic among my hospital colleagues.

The collective enthusiasm and support made our roundtable conversations an empowerment to complete our rotations armed with knowledge and competence. Pursuit of an advanced degree in bioethics is not required to become a physician who excels at the science of healing, but rather exists as further understanding of the discipline vital for those who practice the art of healing.

In this previous week, I learned about Dr. Santos y Vargas’ final days and subsequent passing through heartfelt correspondence from Dr. Suazo. After hours of analysis of his most salient essays and several spirited debates on positions held with respect to his writings, I developed a deep and enduring respect for him and his vision. In one particular writing, “Bioetica y Pueblo,” the author challenges the bioethicist to internalize the fact that he or she is a public intellectual, and therefore has the obligation to communicate with society so as to guarantee access to issues.3 Its clear and original discussion continue to inspire my vocation in medicine. Thanks to analytical thinkers, like Dr. Santos y Vargas and Dr. Suazo, I now formulate my own ideas and perspectives, learned under their tutelage. Just like the student eventually becomes the teacher, I find myself motivated to create similar analytical pieces, which may serve to encourage others to explore bioethics, which is intimately connected to the traditional health profession. I look forward to working with my colleagues in efforts to propagate the ideas that have served to enlighten me in my discipline. After all, as Dr. Santos y Vargas professed:



It is the people who will ultimately enjoy or regret the results of these challenges faced in the field



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Turning Point Nora El-Gharbawy NORP, IFMSA-Egypt

I never liked expectations, in my opinion it is not so smart, expecting something to happen, fantasizing and dreaming about how it will happen, thinking and practicing how we will react when it happens, and then falling apart when reality screws us up. I am Nora el Gharbawy, 4th year medical student, and national officer on human rights and peace in IFMSA Egypt.

The story is divided into two sections, before and after January 25th.

While I wanted to mention the story of a country before 25th, I sadly can’t, because before then I lived my own life, my own way, had my own family and friends, and my own study, and my own interests. Maybe I did some activities in IFMSA-Egypt and other places to fulfill my share of public responsibility to satisfy my own self. But this story, my story, is the story of the majority of people around my age and older in this country, before January 25th.

Maybe the few lines above can give you an idea about how we lived before, self centered, with no faith at all, except in finding a way out, out of our lame education, out of our boring though tough lives, out of our country. Although personally I wasn’t in favor of migration, thinking that I do have an obligation towards my people, but rarely would you’ve found somebody thinking the same. Maybe it is bad education, maybe it is very low fees, maybe it is corruption, which became the normal act everywhere, maybe this lead to altering the human nature inside of us, we stopped trying, and some even stopped speaking at all.

We’d only hear about elections in the TV. We’d only see how one party can take above 90%, and we know and you know how they would reach this percent. We’d only see how this person or that per-

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son bought this big factory or store or land from the government, with that much –or little- money, and we know and you know how they got it. And maybe we don’t talk about it and maybe we do, but never outside our circle. Maybe we hear how this guy or that girl were kidnapped by national security, from their home, or from this street at night, and taken to someplace nobody knows where it is, and maybe show up cruelly beaten and tortured, and maybe don’t show up at all, and then maybe we justify how this happened because they were part of this party or this this movement that does bad things.

But then surprisingly along came January 25th of 2011. And being myself I did not participate in the protests. I never expected how many people would go - most people, even those who do like expectations didn’t actually, and I certainly never expected the consequences and how the national security would react. January 25th was a Tuesday, on Wednesday I remember I walked in the streets of my small town searching for the protests, I found national security everywhere, but there definitely were no protesters.

But this wasn’t the case in Tahrir, people were still there, fighting for rights they hardly ever had in the past 30 years, even before that.

But everybody was building theories and expectations for the following Friday 28th of January “because Friday is our day off in Egypt”, and it was killing me how I can’t make my own theory. On Thursday night they cut off the internet, they blocked phone networks, we were completely isolated. Being not able to arrange it with my friends I went

The SCORPion | MM 2012

Issue 4 out alone, searching for the protests. This was the first time I ever scream for change, freedom, and dignity.

It was the first time at all that I scream or even ask for something that involves somebody beside me and ever since then I kept following the news, protesting, and speaking up my mind about what is going on, and building theories and even expecting how things would go, not taking anything but what I as well as most Egyptians want, which is the regime down, and the president away.

I changed, Egyptians have changed, it is like when you scream for so long and nobody listens, you’ll eventually lose hope and stop it. But when you do it again and find a result, somebody joining you, dying for the same cause, and you see response from whoever is in charge, this gives you the power and the will to keep screaming and shouting and fighting until your demand comes real. And days went on and February 11th came, and the president left. He stepped down handing the governance to the supreme council of arm forces – unfortunately. I remember going with a lot of people around my age and younger, down streets to clean them after the protests were over. We were happy, full of life and dreams for a brighter future than we had ever imagined, I remember some people I know who had found their way outside of Egypt for the rest of their lives coming back, deciding to spend the rest of their lives home. And all of us discussing how better we will be, how we won’t cheat in exams for example, how we will respect the traffic laws, how we will not bribe any official to speed up the procedures of whatever we want, how we will keep the streets clean. We were dreaming out loud.I have changed, I thought that maybe, just maybe having

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plans, expecting and making real effort eventually does pay off.

Although the recent events, the violations that SCAF and the police committed, brutally killing peaceful protesters, exposing girls and attacking them, cruelly, very hard, very painful, very inhumane, people who are now demanding SCAF to step down, personally I support their demands, personally I still join protests happening in my small town, personally and deeply I am starting to lose that sense of optimism and change, but one of my friends told me that as long as there are Egyptian youth, with will and power there is still hope.

We are on our way, we don’t know what would happen next, we can’t say the revolution is over, and we can’t say we reached our goal, not yet. Even though most people are already moving on with their lives, starting to live in some stability that they have missed in the days of the revolution. Maybe this itself, the fact that life is moving on before we reach full change is somehow making us worried or disappointed.

Sometimes I try to foresee, or yes expect what the future may hold for us, but I can’t say I can, in fact I don’t need to, because it is enough for me to know that when once we had a cause and a will we could break down the regime that has been there for 30 years, and watching videos of how protesters acted in Tahrir and everywhere facing water cannons, gas, rubber bullets, and even live bullets makes me believe that no power on earth would ever break us.

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Kuwait (KuMSA) Kyrgyzstan (MSPA Kyrgyzstan) Latvia (LaMSA Latvia) Lebanon (LeMSIC) Libya (LMSA) Lithuania (LiMSA) Luxembourg (ALEM) Malaysia (SMAMMS) Mali (APS) Malta (MMSA) Mexico (IFMSA-Mexico) Mongolia (MMLA) Montenegro (MoMSIC Montenegro) Mozambique (IFMSA-Mozambique) Nepal (NMSS) New Zealand (NZMSA) Nigeria (NiMSA) Norway (NMSA) Oman (SQU-MSG) Pakistan (IFMSA-Pakistan) Palestine (IFMSA-Palestine) Panama (IFMSA-Panama) Paraguay (IFMSA-Paraguay) Peru (APEMH) Peru (IFMSA Peru) Philippines (AMSA-Philippines) Poland (IFMSA-Poland) Portugal (PorMSIC) Romania (FASMR) Russian Federation (HCCM) Rwanda (MEDSAR) Saudi Arabia (IFMSA-Saudi Arabia) Serbia (IFMSA-Serbia) Slovakia (SloMSA) Slovenia (SloMSIC) South Africa (SAMSA) Spain (IFMSA-Spain) Sudan (MedSIN-Sudan) Sweden (IFMSA-Sweden) Switzerland (SwiMSA) Taiwan (IFMSA-Taiwan) Tanzania (TAMSAz) Tatarstan-Russia (TaMSA-Tatarstan) Thailand (IFMSA-Thailand) The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MMSA-Macedonia) The Netherlands (IFMSA-The Netherlands) Tunisia (ASSOCIA-MED) Turkey (TurkMSIC) Uganda (FUMSA) United Arab Emirates (EMSS) United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Medsin-UK) United States of America (AMSA-USA) Venezuela (FEVESOCEM)

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