Where the need is greatest, hope begins

Aid has its limitations, making careful planning essential to ensure it is distributed as effectively and fairly as possible. The need for help is deeply human—our very survival, from birth to early childhood, depends entirely on the support of others.  

There are countless causes we can stand behind, and each person may feel drawn to different ones. What matters most is helping—whether in your family, community, country, or beyond. But how do we decide where and how to make the greatest impact?  

 

For us as medical professionals, the answer is simple: we go where the need is greatest, regardless of distance or the effort required. This principle transcends nationality, religion, or race. While we naturally empathize more with familiar causes, we believe that our duty is to serve where suffering is most severe, in places where no one else goes, no one else sees, and no one else helps.  

 

In Mexico and Latin America, for example, obstetric fistulas have been nearly eradicated. However, in Africa, this devastating condition remains widespread, limiting the lives of countless women. This reality compels us to bring aid where it is most urgently needed.  

 

Take Madagascar as an example—an island of approximately 25.5 million people, where nearly 20 million live on less than two dollars a day. According to a United Nations study, nearly 50% of Malagasy children under five suffer from stunted growth due to malnutrition. Diseases long eradicated in developed nations—such as leprosy, tuberculosis, and malaria—continue to devastate communities here.  

 

The World Health Organization states that a country with fewer than 230 doctors or nurses per 100,000 people lacks adequate healthcare coverage. In Madagascar, there are fewer than 10 doctors per 100,000 people. For comparison, Mexico has approximately 220 doctors per 100,000 people.  

 

This stark contrast highlights the urgent need for medical aid in Africa. It is a powerful and undeniable reason to commit to this cause.