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| An upcoming symposium, organized by Daniel Bausch, associate professor of tropical medicine, looks at "Public Health and Human Rights" in post-Katrina New Orleans. (Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano) |
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Hurricane Katrina was a natural disaster of gigantic proportions, devastating the Gulf Coast and flooding much of New Orleans and surrounding communities. The humanitarian crisis that took place in the wake of the storm prompted many in the media to comment that the city "looked like a scene from the Third World." But what exactly did Katrina reveal about the United States that so contrasted with how Americans see their country, and why should devastation be considered the norm in the developing world?
Tulane University has teamed with the volunteer organization Doctors for Global Health to present a symposium to answer that type of question. "Public Health and Human Rights: Global Struggles Brought to Light in Post-Katrina New Orleans" will take place from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday (Feb. 5) in the Diboll Auditorium of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at 1440 Canal St.
"This symposium uses Katrina and other natural disasters as the backdrop to examine how we view ourselves and the world," says symposium organizer Daniel Bausch, a Tulane associate professor of tropical medicine and a founding member of Doctors for Global Health.
Bausch's own research focuses on viral hemorrhagic fevers, such as Ebola and Marburg viruses and other emerging pathogens, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. "But I'm also very interested in the role of scientists and people in biomedical sciences in promoting health and human rights," says Bausch. While doing research and community education work in El Salvador in 1995-96, Bausch and other doctors founded Doctors for Global Health.
"One of the main tenants of Doctors for Global Health is that we don't go places to work and decide what needs to be done -- we listen to what the community thinks needs to be done," says Bausch. "That's one of the themes of the symposium -- how does New Orleans, as a community, direct the restructuring and rebuilding of our city in a just and equitable way?"
The symposium will gather distinguished speakers from the United States and internationally who will compare and contrast key issues in health and human rights at home and abroad. Participating institutions include ActionAid International, Bangalore, India; Doctors for Global Health, Decatur, Ga.; Harvard Medical School and Partners in Health, Boston; and Common Ground Health Clinic, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, the Center for Empowered Decision Making, and Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.
The symposium is free and open to the public, although registration is requested. A complete list of symposium speakers and events is available online.
