Dr. Beall

Written on January 27, 2005

This is an article I wrote for the Youth Town newspaper, a publication for the University of San Diego’s annual World Link program.  

No war, weapon, or disease in human history matches the killing power of AIDS. Its global death toll rises each year. “The problem of AIDS is huge. We are not winning,” says Dr. Gil Beall.

Beall works for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, an organization of international workers which provides medical care to victims regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or political party. Their work spans over 80 countries.

Beall’s work as a doctor has taken him to two major nations, one being Thailand. Beall describes Thailand as a lovely country. “The people are extremely friendly and nice. You fall in love with the place.”

1.5% of the 60 million people there are infected with AIDS. By working with the communities to provide medicines, Beall has significantly helped decline the spread of the disease. In the Thai military alone, the rate of infected men has reduced from 10% in the early 1990’s to less than 2% today. After working to heal the AIDS crisis in Thailand by establishing sufficient hospital collaborates, MSF will successfully close their mission there by the end of this year.

The news is worse in China, where many victims do not test for HIV because they fear becoming social outcasts. Workers are fired when they test positive for the disease. “A general in the military was kicked out after he was found to have AIDS,” Beall said. Many children with the disease, too, can no longer attend school.

1 2

Main

Essays