Ration health resources to save more statistical lives from cervical cancer death in Africa: Why are we allowing them to die?
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Developing World Bioethics
Abstract
Public health interventions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries
(LMICs) are implemented with the never-ending challenge of limited resources
and the ever-present challenge of choosing between interventions. While
necessary, the application of ethical analysis is absent in most of such decisions
making, resulting in fewer favourable consequences. In applying ethical
principles to the saving of women from the burden of cervical cancer, I argue
in favour of saving statistical lives (investing in prevention) in LMICs, by
mapping the principles of justice in resource allocation to the prevailing
circumstance. The key facts in this circumstance are that providing treatment
(which is saving identified lives), involves mostly providing palliative treatment,
which is associated with a high likelihood of death among the identified lives
while undergoing treatment or shortly thereafter. I focus on the dilemma of
having a national cancer prevention program versus the expansion of cancer
treatment facilities.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
cervical cancer, resource allocation, statistical lives