The poorest parts of the world are by and large the places in which one can best view the worst of medicine and not because doctors in these countries have different ideas about what constitutes modern medicine. It's the system and its limitations that are to blame. Paul Farmer badblameconstitute share on social
You can't have public health without working with the public sector. You can't have public education without working with the public sector in education. Paul Farmer educationhealthpublic Change image and share on social
I mean, everybody should have access to medical care. And, you know, it shouldn't be such a big deal. Paul Farmer accessbigcare Change image and share on social
If any country was a mine-shaft canary for the reintroduction of cholera, it was Haiti - and we knew it. And in retrospect, more should have been done to prepare for cholera... which can spread like wildfire in Haiti... This was a big rebuke to all of us working in public health and health care in Haiti. Paul Farmer bigcanarycare share on social
One of the things we have to acknowledge is that if you look at Haiti, many billions of dollars have gone into development aid there that have not been effective. Paul Farmer acknowledgeaidbillion Change image and share on social
In fact, it seems to me that making strategic alliances across national borders in order to treat HIV among the world's poor is one of the last great hopes of solidarity across a widening divide. Paul Farmer allianceborderdivide Change image and share on social
At the same time, it is obvious that clinicians in Haiti are faced with different, and, in fact, greater, challenges when attempting to treat complications of HIV disease. Paul Farmer attemptchallengeclinician Change image and share on social
Civil and political rights are critical, but not often the real problem for the destitute sick. My patients in Haiti can now vote but they can't get medical care or clean water. Paul Farmer carecivilclean Change image and share on social
The biggest public health challenge is rebuilding health systems. In other words, if you look at cholera or maternal mortality or tuberculosis in Haiti, they're major problems in Haiti, but the biggest problem is rebuilding systems. Paul Farmer bigchallengecholera share on social
Haiti is always talking about decentralization and nothing has been so obvious, perhaps a weakness, as the centralized nature of Haitian society as being revealed by the earthquake. I mean, they lost all these medical training programs because they didn't have them anywhere else. Paul Farmer centralizedecentralizationearthquake share on social