UCI SWANA Health Alliance
Initiatives and Archive
Throughout the academic year, our club will offer presentations focusing on a specific SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) country at each meeting. These presentations will be available for access in our Online Journal. In addition, we will host various community service, fundraising, and pre-health events. Updates and highlights from these activities will be featured in our archive below!
Archive​
This archive includes highlights of some of our events!
Conversations with OC Healthcare Workers who returned from Gaza
June 6, 2024
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We took part in a special event featuring healthcare workers who had returned from Gaza. Their firsthand experiences and insights provided invaluable perspectives on the severe challenges faced in conflict zones. From their accounts, we learned about the critical shortages of medical supplies and the dire conditions within hospitals. Families are often forced to sleep on stairs due to overcrowding and displacement, and hospitals are struggling to manage the influx of patients. One of the most common types of injury reported was burns, highlighting the intense nature of the genocide.The event also brought to light the immense challenges of rebuilding the health system in Gaza. This event was organized by the Health Science Coalition with Students for Justice in Palestine UCI, Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine UCI, Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA Law, and SWANA Health Alliance UCI.
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Bracelet Making to Help People in Afghanistan
February 2, 2024
In Afghanistan, the healthcare system faces severe challenges due to inadequate infrastructure, a critical shortage of healthcare workers, and limited access to essential medications. Ongoing conflict and widespread poverty exacerbate these issues, making it difficult for many people to receive basic medical care. To help address these urgent needs, we organized an event to raise funds for sending aid to Afghanistan.
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The kits sent included food supplies, toothbrushes for dental care, and basic medical necessities. We partnered with Human Relief Mission, directing the funds we raised from bracelet sales to support their efforts. Additionally, recognizing the urgent crisis in Gaza, we allocated a portion of the funds to Gaza Relief Mission to aid those affected by the ongoing genocide.