Family planning Essay

Studies show that the youth are more vulnerable and at a greater risk without proper reproductive health services. Young pregnancies account for 30% of all daily births in the Philippines. According to the Commission on Population, 3 out of 4 young women die everyday because of maternal complications. Furthermore, A study by the National Epidemiology Center in 2005 shows young pregnancies have the highest rate of fetal deaths, especially by women under age 15. In December 2010, the Department of Health reports that there are 489 cases of young men and women infected with HIV. There are 6 new and unique detections of HIV everyday, 59% of which is in 20-29 years old bracket and 28% belong to the 15-24 years age range. In line with these problems, there is a need to make solutions. One of great solutions would be the implementation of the Reproductive Health bill, or the RH bill. One of the aims of the RH bill is to solve these problems by providing access medically safe, legal, afforda ble and quality natural and modern family planning methods. The RH bill also aims to guarantee universal access to information about birth control and maternal care. Thus, the RH Bill should be passed because it helps the Philippines to lean towards progress by offering women healthcare, providing sexual education to students, and helping the Filipinos to have responsible family planning. There are reasons why the reproductive health bill is not yet passed; however, majority of the people believe that the advantages brought by the implementation of the reproductive health bill will outweigh the cons that go with it. According to the survey hosted by Pulse Asia, 69% of the respondents from different regions are pro RH bill and they believe that the implementation of the bill would do more good than harm. The first plausible disadvantage is that the money that will be used in funding the bill would be subject to corruption from officials. An estimate of 14 billion pesos would be allotted to the bill if the bill would be implemented (Department of Health, 2012). The money involved can blind those corruptofficials; however, health and development should be prioritized. The bill provides healthcare services to women and the marginalized. The Women and marginalized are prioritized by providing for their needs such as legal, affordable and quality reproductive health care services. After the implementation of the bill, the State guarantees universal access to medically-safe, legal, affordable and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies and relevant information thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children, among other underprivileged sectors (SECTION 2, RH Bill, 2008). Furthermore, women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner. The government shall ensure that women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner. (SECTION 3, RH Bill, 2008). The health and development of the marginalized sector and the women should be clearly prioritized over the risk of the money being stolen by corrupted officials. S

Wounds Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wounds - Coursework Example On the other hand silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene) increases wound healing time as compared to honey which reduces healing process. However, silvadene has not shown any evidence in inhibition of wound infection effectively but works by inhibiting the growth of bacteria from scattering to surrounding skin or to the blood and causing blood infection.(Kaufman, 2008) Besides that, pain is not uncommon and is felt by patients from time to time and clear fluid known as aseptic exudate may also form on the wound surfaces. In this scenario, the nurse will have to uphold the patients’ use of honey for wound healing this can be attributed to the fact that honey has lesser side effects as compared to silvadene, moreover, silvadene being an antibiotic, any misuse of this drug will lead to bacterial resistance. With that in mind it will not be prudent to reinstate the use of the drug after it was stopped prematurely since this will be increasing the possibilities of bacterial resistance occurring. Lastly, the use of silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene) possess much worse side effects as compared to honey which is the reason for upholding continued use of honey as an

Health Care and Intellectual Property Laws Essay

Health Care and Intellectual Property Laws - Essay Example In a knowledge economy where knowledge is considered private property and is thus deserving of full protection under the law, Intellectual Property laws play a fundamental role in ensuring stability and predictability. However, it has been suggested that these laws undermine public health by tending to put the cost of essential medicines far beyond the reach of those who desperately need it most. Intellectual property ownership is a relatively new concept of ownership with staggering social implications. For large pharmaceutical companies investing billions of dollars to continually develop new medicines against diseases, it provides the necessary incentives in the form of patents to provide wider latitude in the development, promotion, and distribution of new drugs to recoup their investments and earn significant revenues for years of research and hard work. It also serves as an incentive for pharmaceutical companies to develop new products for the prevention or treatment of common as well as dreaded diseases. But for low-income countries struggling to provide basic healthcare services and affordable drugs to their citizens, intellectual property is an onerous imposition that threatens to wreck lives in the wake of killer diseases. The law on intellectual property rights allows pharmaceutical companies unrestricted rights to manufacture and distribute medicines at prices they command. Recent free trade agreements have extended extremely generous patent rights to multinational pharmaceutical companies, and have limited access to generic equivalent drugs. Analysis The first level of analysis is to ask whether or not it is actually necessary to prioritize patients' rights, and if the current system has indeed been inadequate in arresting the problem. Without access to the drugs in the treatment of HIV, for example, to combat the spread of the dreaded disease, people from many countries in Africa experiencing an HIV/AIDS pandemic will die in record number. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized on December 1, 1981, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in recorded history. According to current estimates, HIV is set to infect 90 million people in Africa, providing an enormous market for an anti-HIV medicine. There is currently no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS. The only known method of prevention is avoiding exposure to the virus. However, an antiretroviral treatment, known as post-exposure prophylaxis is believed to reduce the risk of infection if begun directly after exposure. Current treatment for HIV infection consists of highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, an expensive procedure that many poor countries in Africa are forced to take. The second level of analysis is whether or not pharmaceutical drug companies can afford to take the pay cuts. It has been argued many times over that these drug companies need the money to innovate and to develop new techniques and new formulations. The evidence, however, militates against this. According to a paper written by Oxfam International: In 2000, for example, the ten biggest companies in the US spent more than twice as much on marketing and administration (34%) than on R&D (14%). Pfizer spent $22.2 billion on dividends and share buybacks in 2003 and the first half of 2004, over twice the amount spent on research. Merck returned $7.3 billion,

Major Corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Major Corporation - Assignment Example Wal-mart Corporation has managed to maintain corporate responsibility as a form of philanthropic effort by enhancing close relationship among all its stakeholders. Moreover, the corporation has managed to maintain social responsibility as a way of developing its success. The corporation has managed to enact its business practices according to the set legal and ethical values. For example, Wal-mart has always been able to maintain a clean name all over the years that it has been operation. The corporation has also been able to engage in corporate social responsibility (Kneer, 2009). This means that Wal-mart appreciates its customers and the community by engaging in various development activities for the well-being of the society. In order to achieve the best within the competitive business sector in America, Wal-mart has also managed to enact a number of core values. One of the core values include offering respect for all individuals associated with the company daily operations (Kneer, 2009). This means that the corporation offers respect to all its employees through employing the appropriate leadership. The other core value that the corporation has managed to employ in its business operations is offering the best service to customers (Kneer, 2009). Each customer in Wal-mart is plays a significance role in enabling the corporation to meet its profit goals. Therefore, the corporation maintains a strong relationship with all its customers by treating them well and equally. The other core value that Wal-mart has been employing in its operations is striving for excellence (Kneer, 2009). This means that the corporation’s goal has always been being the best in the competitive market through providing better services to all its potential customers (Kneer, 2009). Wal-mart Corporation has also played a significant to enhance core competence through

Comparison and Contrast of Keynesian and Classical Economic Essay

Comparison and Contrast of Keynesian and Classical Economic - Essay Example As the study discusses  Keynes further argued that the level of total spending in the economy could be less to provide full employment. This disagreed with the classical economists who believed that the interest rate adjustments, wages, and prices would help to prevent the unemployment. Keynes said that the full employment happens when the amount of total spending is enough. Moreover, if the spending is not sufficient, then the unemployment will occur.This essay highlights that  Keynes also disagreed with the relationship between saving and investment not being enough to support classical claims that the support full employment. Classical economist described two forces that ensure full employment occurs. Those are the interest rate adjustments and wage/price flexibility. If the interest rate falls as planned and the investors result in little spending, salaries and prices can still support to ensure full employment is reached. When a competitive market occurs, the low demand will lead to falling wages and prices that will finally lead to all outputs being sold and prevent unemployment.  Keynes disagreed with classical assumptions about high wages and prices are not consistent with the real world. Keynes explained that variety of forces prevented prices and wages from adjusting quickly. These forces prevent prices and wages from changing quickly and in a downward direction.  Keynes said that many product markets are monopolistic or oligopolistic.

What is the evidence for the Big Bang Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What is the evidence for the Big Bang - Essay Example The primary focus of the essay is to capture the essence of the Big Bang theory and present to the reader evidence that proves that the Big Bang notwithstanding its flaws is still the most accepted theory that explains the evolution of our Universe. There is both, observational and mathematical evidence that corroborate the validity of the assumptions of the Big Bang Theory. To a curious mind gazing up from down below, the truth about the origin and evolution of the cosmos might still look like the hazy fleeting stars that sit millions of light years away. It was not just the tension-gripped scientists at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) who tried to uncover the mysteries and validate the theories of the origin of the universe with the large hadron collider experiment. From the breakthrough Hubble made to the particle accelerator at CERN, the question of the origin and evolution of the Universe continues to remain pivotal in cosmology and the mind of every human bein g. One theory pertaining to the evolution and origin of the Universe that has emerged as a demigod in cosmology is the Big Bang Theory. Largely accepted, evidenced and validated the Big Bang theory has, for over a century now, been the centre point of almost all experiments and studies pertaining to this topic. The purpose of this paper is to establish the validity of the Big Bang through scientific evidence.... billion years ago, the Universe erupted from a single point of energy, wherein all matter that exists today was condensed in that tiny speck which exploded with an inconceivable force. This force sent outward splattering chunks of the Universe which created billions of galaxies and galactic bodies that exist in our Universe. The essence of the theory, however, is that the Universe has reached its current state by expanding rapidly from an extreme condition of density and temperature and to this day continues to expand and cool. Bound by human imagination and understanding it is difficult to comprehend what the Big Bang must have been like. It could have been nothing like hydrogen explosions today as there was no space or time prior to the Big Bang, in fact, space was created as the singularity expanded and formed the Universe. Rapid cooling caused atoms to form which later clouded together to form galaxies. The theory rests on the cosmological principle that the Universe is homogenou s and isotropic. Vesto Slipher, Lemaitre and Hubble were the founding members of the Big Bang Theory. 2.1. Misconceptions About the Big bang Theory It is commonly believed that there was an explosion that erupted and consequently created the Universe. However, evidence that has been collected and validated over the past century does not exactly prove or disprove this. The Universe can be imagined as a balloon continuously stretching to create space. Another common misconception pointed out by German cosmologist Rudolf Kippenhahn, regarding the theory is the negation of the concept of singularity. It is believed by some that there was a cosmic egg existing in space, however, there was no space or time before the Big Bang and both were in fact created after the Big Bang. Esteemed cosmologist

Conscious Awareness and Brain Processes Essay Example for Free

Conscious Awareness and Brain Processes Essay A number of scholarly studies on human consciousness identify a close relationship between human consciousness and the brain processes of a human being. This study is an examination of the literature existing on these two areas with an aim of establishing whether there exists a relationship. To achieve this, the study will evaluate consciousness and its functions in a human being, evaluate brain processes and their functions and from the two analyses, make efforts at establishing either a similarity or a distinction exist between them. An evaluation of consciousness Questions about consciousness have been with humans for a long time. According to Pearson (1999), traces of the questioning on the nature of human consciousness were there as early as during the Neolithic period, when burial practices expressed some spiritual belief which had some connotations on some reflections or thought on the nature and existence of human consciousness. The earliest forms of cultures and intimation into human consciousness are therefore only available through historical connotations on the then existing people’s reflection on some aspects of human consciousness. There are those scholars who argue that consciousness, as it is known today’ is a phenomena that arose much later in the development of humans, as late as after the Homeric era as postulated by Jaynes (1974). In this view of the development of consciousness knowledge, earlier humans acted without necessarily correlating their actions and thoughts. As such, they were unconscious of their actions and acted primarily on a response to physical threats as opposed to awareness of need. Earlier scholars who attempted to define consciousness included Rene Descartes in the 17th century and John Locke, in the period of late 17th century (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2006). Their efforts to define consciousness have formed a basis upon which modern human consciousness is constructed from. In Descartes, ‘Principles of Philosophy’, written in 1640, he defined human consciousness as self-awareness. Locke, in 1988 correlated consciousness to both thought and personal identity (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2006). Modern attempts to define consciousness have been attempted by scholars (Gennaro, 1995 and Carruthers, 2000) who postulate that the word consciousness is a broad umbrella term covering a broad range of metal phenomena. In its wide range, consciousness can refer to a state of an organism in its wholeness, also referred to as creature consciousness or to a certain mental process or state also referred to as state consciousness. Since consciousness is a broad term, this section will highlight the meaning of consciousness in different contexts. A person, or a cognitive system, may can be said to be conscious in a number of ways; the first sense is what Armstrong (1981) referred to as sentience. A sentient creature is one that is able to sense its environment and respond to it. In this sense, the ability to sense and respond to an environmental stimulus is equivalent to being conscious. The challenge in this definition lies in making a distinction between the responsiveness portrayed by living and animate creatures such as animals and humans and the responsiveness inherent in inanimate objects such as flowers and trees. This is because a flower responds to physical environmental as evident in withering during the dry season. The other sense of defining consciousness is wakefulness (Cole, 2002). In this sense, an organism is considered conscious not only by possessing inherent ability to respond to the environment but by being in a state or a disposition to actually respond to it. Consciousness in this sense refers to being normally alert or awake. In this definition, an organism would be considered unconscious if it were in a deep state of comma or sleep. In this definition too, there also lies some blurred explanation since by defining consciousness as so, one may need to define it further in terms of levels of consciousness. For instance, it is possible for a creature to be half-asleep, implying that it requires a slight arousal for it to be conscious, as in the definition. Another form of consciousness, identified by Carruthers (2000) is self-consciousness. This is a high level order of consciousness in which the creature is not only aware but also having the correct understanding of the state of its awareness. Among humans, self-consciousness may denote ones ability to differentiate himself from others, in aspects such as language, hierarchy, status etc. One who is unable to make such a distinction would invariably be referred to as self-unconscious. In philosophy, self consciousness is equivalent to self-knowledge, which is used to commonly refer one’s knowledge of particular mental states including beliefs, sensations and desires (Stanford, 2003). A challenge that lies in this definition is that it disregards conscious forms of life, which may still be undergoing growth and development. For instance, a young child may be unaware of his status or privileges and as such, when consciousness is defined in this manner, it may assume that such is not conscious. Features of consciousness As mentioned earlier, consciousness is an umbrella term enveloping a broad range of issues. To distinguish consciousness, it becomes imperative to assess the features that combine to bring out the conscious phenomena. By analyzing these features and later analyzing the features of the brain processes, it will be possible to assess the existence of a relation between the two. The characters of consciousness as identified in literature include; A qualitative character- Siewert (1998) had suggested that there exist some experienced desires or thoughts in all forms of consciousness. These are the ones that form the qualitative character of consciousness but they do not necessarily refer to sensory states. In essence, consciousness embodies some kind of feelings, though it is itself higher than normal physical feeling. When an individual is conscious of something, there is a ‘feel’ attached to it, which happens beyond the physical human feelings. Phenomenal structure- phenomena as applied in both psychology and philosophy denotes how things in the world or the world in general appear to an individual. For consciousness to be complete, this feature ought to be present, that is, there should be an effort deep within oneself that attempts to interpret a certain event or knowledge of the world around an individual. The phenomenal structure of consciousness, as portrayed in theory shows that consciousness is made up not only of sensory ideas but also by complex representations of space, time, body, self and the world (Siewert, 1998). Representational theories of consciousness as published in the Stanford philosophy encyclopedia shows that representation of the world as it is has evolved slowly to become an important theme in the study of consciousness (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2006). Subjectivity- Consciousness is subjective in the sense that what is conscious can only be experienced by that creature in the prevailing condition. Creatures with similar capabilities are the only ones that can understand the’ what-it is like’, a common phrase used to define consciousness (Nagel, 1974). In this sense, consciousness is subjective, that is, it is understood from the creature’s point of view as opposed to being objective where facts would be understandable based on available evidence. Self perspective- According to Searle (1992), conscious experiences exist not as isolated events but as states or modes of a conscious subject to self. For instance, the consciousness of pain is a happening experienced by a conscious subject. The appearance of the sky as blue is a phenomena that appears as so to a subject. This implies that for consciousness to exist, the ‘self’ subject which can be identified by, ‘I think’ needs to be there. The self perspective is a crucial feature in consciousness since for any event to be reflected to the level of awareness; there is need for the intellectual participation of the self through past experience. The requirement for this intellectual part in the subject is an important aspect of this study since intelligence forms one of the brain processes and therefore serves to suggest that there is a close link between consciousness and brain processes. Unity- a conscious system involves some form of unity. Cleeremans (2003) postulate that consciousness has a unity characteristic; this unity is that which arises from the subject’s ability to connect varied information’s and representations and make a coherent judgment. It is this unity in consciousness that can enable an individual to make a relation between past and present interpretations and therefore direct consciousness in a focused direction. Other features that are associated with consciousness include intentionality and transparency, a feature that recognizes the arousal of consciousness about an event due to an individual’s intent to do so (Cole, 2002). For instance, one’s consciousness about the 9/11 attack comes to an individual through an intentional thought. Once the intention matures, the inner self becomes conscious of the event and the individual is said to be ‘aware’. There is also a dynamic flow of information in the conscious state. This dynamic flow is also referred to as a stream of consciousness in which the subject conscious state is active and visualizes events in a dynamic manner, just as in real live (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2003). Through these features, consciousness in a subject performs some functions/ processes, most of which may borrow from both sensory and cognitive aspects. Consciousness plays the first role of flexible control of the physical actions of a subject (Anderson, 1983). When consciousness is defined as self-awareness, it implies that an individual measures and weighs options concerning an issue and as such, all actions are controlled in a state of awareness. In addition, consciousness enhances capacity for social coordination. Humphreys (1982) argues that a subject that is conscious is not only aware of itself and therefore its immediate needs but is also able to extend the awareness to other similar creatures. In a human context, being conscious therefore enables an individual to be conscious of others surrounding him which results to responsiveness to the events occurring in the social arena. Participation and responsiveness to the social environment leads to an integration of the like-subjects so that the social system develops values, beliefs, structures, intentions and perceptions. In addition to social coordination, consciousness presents a subject with an integrated representation of reality. By combining experiential organization and dynamism inherent in consciousness, it presents the world in an easy to understand frame. According to Campbell (1994), the features of consciousness help to constitute a meaningful structure of the world. Additionally, consciousness plays the following functions, all of which are additions, either to physical or cognitive processes; it enhances informational access, enhances freedom of will and intrinsic motivation (Wegner, 2002). Going by these explanations, it is evident that the realm of consciousness is made up of both sensory functions and intellectual processes, implying that a significant part of consciousness is dependent on brain processes. In the section below, a brief outline will be made of what constitutes brain processes and make efforts to establish a correlation between them and the features and functions of consciousness discussed above.