A border fence between the US and Mexico near San Diego.
United States withdraws from United Nations Human Rights Council
A day after the United States came under fire for its policy of separating children from immigrant families, the U.S. announced that it will be leaving the United Nations Human Rights Council.
While the timing of the announcement from the U.S. is quite alarming, the U.N. was expecting it since the U.S. had been criticizing the Human Right Council’s focus on Israel and its inclusion of countries with poor human rights records.
The U.N. states that the U.S. is attempting to discredit the Human Rights Council by leaving the council, however, the U.S. is just ceding another aspect of American global leadership.
Separating families can lead to long-term health complications
As more and more news has been published about the Trump administration separating children from their immigrant families, not as much has been discussed about the long-term health complications that can arise after such a traumatic experience.
Children respond to stress just like any adult. Their heart rate increases and their body releases cortisol. During extremely stressful and traumatic times that are ongoing, the body increases its heart rate and continually releases cortisol. These body responses are what can induce health problems in the short-term or even for long-term.
Some of the long-term health complications include reduced immune system function short-term, increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illness as well as mental health issues and other problems.
The neglected refugees of the world
Not only are immigrants in the U.S. facing stressors, so are immigrants and refugees around the world, especially those who are less acknowledged worldwide.
Since 2008, over 24 million people have been displaced by some sort of natural disaster somewhere in the world including the estimated 2,300 families in Puerto Rico displaced by Hurricane Maria.
Unfortunately, many of these displaced people receive no help, especially since there is no international agreement on who should qualify as a climate refugee.
National Public Radio (NPR) News
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Jonathan Chapman
Jonathan was a VPHPM resident from 2016-2018. He is a licensed veterinarian with a career focus on veterinary public health, epidemiology, zoonotic disease, and One Health. He has been involved in a broad range of activities ranging from small animal general practice and emergency medicine to disease surveillance and outbreak investigation. Jonathan hopes to continue to promote medicine, public health, education, and local and international community collaboration around the world. Jonathan is originally from Chicago, Illinois and he has spent time living in St. Kitts, West Indies and San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has 2 Golden Retrievers named Bauer and Nikki and 3 cats named Sienna, Simon, and Conchita.