Introduction
The practice of medicine in relatively affluent countries should not blind a doctor to the global inadequacies of medicine and the suffering of so many millions in low resource countries. Towards this end I have been involved as a member of the Board of the Center for International Health and Cooperation, which was founded in 1992 by my friend and colleague, Kevin Cahill, to promote healing and peace in countries shattered by natural disasters, armed conflicts and ethnic violence. The Center employs its resources and unique personal contacts to stimulate interest in humanitarian issues and to promote innovative educational programs and training. I am also a member of a number of WHO committees dedicated to improving the cardiovascular health of the poorer countries of the world. The following publications relate to humanitarian involvement.
O’Brien E. The land mine crisis: a growing epidemic of mutilation. Lancet 1994;334:1522
O’Brien E. Clearing the fields: Solutions to the Global Land Mines Crisis. British Medical Journal 1995;310:1213
‘O’Brien E. Walk in peace: banish landmines from our globe. BMJ 1997;315:1456-1458′
O’Brien E. The diplomatic implications of emerging diseases. In: “Preventive Diplomacy: Stopping Wars Before They Start. Ed: K.M. Cahill. BasicBooks. New York. 244-268.
