Host Country Regulation of Short-Term Medical Missions: Evidence from Three Countries.

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Medical Ethics
• Health Policy

Background:

• Growing global concern regarding the ethics and effectiveness of short-term medical missions (STMMs).
• Existing guidelines for STMMs are developed in the Global North without enforcement or monitoring mechanisms.
• Need for analysis of host country regulations concerning STMMs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the regulatory landscape affecting short-term medical missions in three host countries: Ghana, Uganda, and Guatemala.
• To identify existing regulations and their enforcement related to STMMs in the selected host countries.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving 129 participants (policymakers, health professionals, patients, community leaders) in Ghana, Uganda, and Guatemala.
• Interviews analyzed using NVIVO and R Package for Qualitative Analysis, employing grounded theory and sentiment analysis.
• Researchers from host countries investigated regulations impacting STMMs.

Main Results:

• All three countries have general healthcare and medication importation regulations, but these are rarely enforced for STMMs, with many participants unaware of them.
• Ghana and Uganda lack specific regulations for STMMs.
• Guatemala has specific STMM regulations, yet participants reported a lack of awareness.

Conclusions:

• Lack of explicit STMM regulation and enforcement of existing rules creates potential for exploitation by volunteers.
• Despite regulatory gaps and enforcement issues, all studied countries have procedures for individuals intending to perform STMMs.
• Highlights the need for improved regulation and enforcement of STMMs to ensure ethical and effective practices.