Models and Mentors
In Conversation with Jacob Eapen, MD, MPH
Stanford alum Jacob Eapen, MD, MPH, is a longtime advocate of grassroots health initiatives at home and abroad. As a health advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR, Eapen was responsible for the health care of 45,000 Indo-Chinese refugees. In 1990 Dr. Eapen was appointed Director for Research and Public Heath Programs at International Health Services. Based in Mountain View, CA, this not-for-profit organization develops low-cost diagnostic kits for use in developing countries. Through his work as a pediatrician for Alameda County Health Services, Eapen reaches out to medically underserved children in Oakland and Newark. He has also served as a guest lecturer for a number of community health courses at Stanford.
What has motivated your local and international work as a pediatrician?
I have been a pediatrician for more than 26 years. In my extensive international experience in health care, I realized that user needs are basically the same while it is the delivery of care that varies according to the financial resources of countries. The basic tools are targeted towards prevention and in children it is related to immunization. Since children are the most vulnerable because of poor access to health care, I have always championed for improving their health-care standards. As a pediatrician I feel there are lots of things I can do for this cause. The motivation comes from seeing the needs around the world firsthand and having the confidence that these challenges can be overcome. My childhood experiences in India also must have had a great role in my motivation.
How has your public health training impacted your career as a physician?
I came to UC Berkeley School of Public Health to obtain my master's in public health. The training gave me a better perspective to handle these challenges and also help me to have a public health vision in my pursuit. It was also a common ground to share the feelings of others from different corners of the world who were all there to get trained to make this world a better place to live.
How has your global work influenced your local practice in Alameda County?
My current position as a pediatrician with the County of Alameda gives me a great opportunity to practice international health every day. There are days that I see children from more than 10 different countries. My work experience in Nigeria, Tanzania, India and the Philippines makes it easier for me to relate to them and understand their problems and issues better. There couldn’t be a better place than these public health clinics in the Bay Area where some one could be delivering their expertise in international health with out actually being out there.
What were some valuable lessons that you learned as an advisor to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees in the Philippines?
My position as the health advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR was one of my most challenging and at the same time most fulfilling assignments. There I was responsible for the health care of about 45,000 Indo Chinese refugees. There were two camps in the Republic of the Philippines, one holding camp in batten and a primary camp in the island of Palauan. The job involved in implementation of health care standards mandated by the UN. There were multiple international NGO's who were also involved in the health care delivery. The major part of the healthcare sector was focused on public health aspects of care. This covered vastly health education, immunization and general health screening. As the health care of the indigent population around the camp was very minimal, I was also responsible in evolving a health-care program for them so that they could have some access to urgent health-care needs.
In the early 1990s, you served as Director for Research and Public Heath Programs at International Health Services in Mountain View, California. What did you learn from this experience in the not-for-profit sector?
In the 1980s I was very fortunate to be introduced to Dr. Charles Beal, a retired professor from Stanford who had devoted his life to international health. His nonprofit organization International Health was involved in developing cost effective appropriate diagnostic kits for emerging Nations. My experience in developing countries along with Dr. Beal’s was a great asset in identifying and prioritizing the products for development. The concept was to develop diagnostic tests which can be afforded by the poorest of the poor countries. I was also involved with founding non profit organizations like Stop Aids Worldwide which gave me the opportunity to meet with people like Mother Teresa. Since then I have been in the Board of Directors of few international health organizations that are involved with programs in developing nations. This has helped me to keep up with the current needs and requirements of the recipient nations.
What aspect of your career are you currently most passionate about?
Preventive Health is the best medicine especially for nations which are so constrained for funds. Public health and preventive medicine has been my passion. This must have evolved out my frustration that I have experienced in my career in different global settings. In the 21st century, we still have children dying from vaccine preventable illness in millions. This is due to the immunization gap between the poor and rich nations. To bridge this we need a concerted effort from both. Private sector I believe can play a major role in this effort. We still have simple problems in many parts of the world like not having access to basic sanitary facilities and not having clean drinking water. These are all basic known requirements to avert pandemics. The world has to be looked as an extended family. What's happening in one part matters to others too. I feel saving lives of the most vulnerable group is the responsibility not just of the biological parents but also those in affluent nations as well as decisions makers with a global vision.
What has inspired your current candidacy for the Alameda County Washington Hospital Board of Directors?
Having seen some of the problems under-insured patients in my community faced in the local district hospital, I wanted to be a voice and ambassador for them and decided to run for the elected office of the director of hospital board. I have found that we doctors have historically shied away from public office and given most of these positions to non-health-related candidates. I feel our responsibility as a doctor goes beyond the walls of the clinic and extends in to the community. If we want to make patient-focused changes that are beneficial to the community, I would urge doctors to run for elected offices and be in a position where we can make changes that will have lasting impact to the community and to the rest of the world than to have a short-term politicized outlook.
What advice do you have for medical students considering careers in community or international health?
International health is a passion that could be very addictive at the same time very challenging. The rewards are great but involve great sacrifices. My son Naveen who is in medical school in Chicago, my daughter Sandhya a freshman at U.C. Berkeley and my wife Shirley all have given their pound of flesh to fulfill my quest to serve the world. As I have advised my son, to experience international health, you need to live in one of those less affluent nations and see firsthand the magnitude of health problems the communities face. If those issues are dear to you and if you can accept the challenges, then you will be a good candidate for international health. You also should have a passion and a calling to serve and a personality to understand the inherent problems than to be skeptical about the issues.
I wish there was a short briefing whereby you could prepare one for international health. The challenges are so varied and always so novel no amount of preparation can insulate one from these scenarios. Like someone said public health is synonymous with love. If you love others and then you will love the world and its problems. My advice would be to go out and try to make it a better day one day at a time and one country at a time.
How can medical students best prepare themselves for careers in international health?
My advice to medical students who want to pursue a career in international health would be to first ask the question to themselves why he or she want to do this? If there is a clear answer I would suggest them to go and volunteer a summer with any NGO's who have health projects in developing nations. This will help to get your feet wet. Then if you want to make it a career there are organizations like CDC and other NGO's in international health that will have permanent career jobs available. I should also warn you that though they say the world is a small place its health care needs are big.
Posted: 2/1/06
