Health Care Issues in Ecuador - Essay Sample

Introduction

The current essay will analyze the major health care issues in Ecuador. There are several reasons why Ecuador was chosen. A study on health systems of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reported Ecuador as one of the most inefficient countries in health, placing it in 54th place out of a total of 71 focused (Ecuador Times, 2020). The report portrays the reality of care, contrasting it with the resources invested: 2.5 billion dollars in 2017 (about 9% of the total gross domestic product) (Funez, 2018). In another study conducted in 2010 by the World Health Organization (WHO), the results showed that the country is among the last 17 nations in the IDB table where resources were allocated without maximizing health improvements, noting that they spent more on curative care than on preventive measures (WHO, 2020). Other elements that were included are underutilization of generic drugs, mismanagement, and corruption. In Ecuador, healthcare management structures have deteriorated and manageable diseases are the leading causes of death.

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There are varied ailments that affect countries according to their eating habits, hygiene, or disposition to physical activity, among other factors. In the case of Ecuador, the most common diseases are well defined and have varied causes. The conditions for which most Ecuadorians end up hospitalized range from appendicitis to urinary disorders through pneumonia or gastroenteritis. The first major issue is appendicitis, which is the leading cause of disease in the country. There were 38,533 cases of acute appendicitis recorded in Ecuador during 2017, an illness that ranked first among the most common and represented a rate of 22.97 per 10,000 inhabitants (Alomoto & Pamela, 2018). The second issue is infant mortality. The probability of children under five years dying (for every 1000 live births) is 14 (World Health Organization, 2020). Regarding infant morbidity, the INEC study reveals that the total discharges for children under one-year-old were the respiratory distress of the newborn, a condition that reached 8,850 cases to be placed in the first place. The third issue is insect-borne diseases. Dengue fever and malaria are the most prevalent insect-borne diseases in the country (Living in Ecuador, 2019).

The focus of the essay will be on appendicitis. The reason for its selection is because it causes so many deaths, and yet there are several ways through which it can be managed and prevented. Appendicitis is caused by inflammation of a tiny organ that is located on the lower right side of the abdomen (Dellinger, Anaya, & Becker, 2020). The appendix fulfills an immunological function, but when it becomes inflamed, it can perforate and spill harmful content inside the abdomen, producing peritonitis. In Ecuador, appendicitis is one of the leading causes of hospitalization, and this affects more men than women (Living in Ecuador, 2019). The most common symptom of appendicitis is a pain in the lower right part of the abdomen, which, as the inflammation worsens, tends to be more intense. Other symptoms are usually nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, and bowel paralysis, among others.

Although scientifically there is no reliable way to know how to prevent appendicitis, it is possible to use natural ways and, ultimately, healthy habits to maintain good physical and emotional health (Han, 2019). These natural prevention methods can have a very positive influence on the health and prevention of appendicitis and even avoid complications such as acute appendicitis. Natural health specialists recommend keeping stress levels low, getting adequate rest, and keeping emotions calm. It is recommended to avoid foods based on refined sugars, sausages, dairy products, and their derivatives (Han, 2019). These foods predispose to the accumulation of toxins in the intestines, and, according to connoisseurs of natural therapies, the excess in the consumption of these products could produce inflammations in the organs. These are some of the measures Ecuadorians could adopt to minimize the prevalence of appendicitis.

References

Alomoto, C., & Alexandra, P. (2018). Retroperitoneal abscess as a complication of acute appendicitis. Retrieved from https://repositorio.uta.edu.ec/bitstream/123456789/28744/1/Caso%20Cl%c3%adnico.pdf

Dellinger, P., Anaya, D., & Becker, N. (2020). Infectious Diseases: Appendicitis. Retrieved from https://www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/home/decision-support-in-medicine/infectious-diseases/appendicitis-4/ on 9th March 2020.

Ecuador Times (2020). Ecuador, among the most inefficient countries in health. Retrieved from https://www.ecuadortimes.net/ecuador-among-the-most-inefficient-countries-in-health/ on 9th March 2020.

Funez, R. (2018). For Ecuador's Poor, Privatized Health Care Is a 'Death Sentence'. Retrieved from https://www.telesurenglish.net/analysis/For-Ecuadors-Poor-Privatized-Health-Care-Is-a-Death-Sentence-20170329-0006.html on 9th March 2020.

Han, S. (2019). Everything You Need to Know About Appendicitis. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/appendicitis#symptoms on 9th March 2020.

Living in Ecuador (2019). A practical guide to the way of life in Ecuador. Retrieved from https://www.internations.org/go/moving-to-ecuador/living on 9th March 2020.

World Health Organization (2020). Ecuador. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/countries/ecu/en/ on 9th March 2020.