TED Talk Tuesday #20 – No one should die because they live too far from a doctor

Watching TED Talks is a popular pastime at CN&CO. We visit TED.com regularly to clear our heads, have a laugh or provide us with inspiration. TED Talks open our minds, spark new ways of thinking and can lead to some very interesting conversations. Each week we pick a favourite and publish it on a Tuesday, because we like how “TED Talk Tuesday” sounds.

This week’s talk was selected by Carel Nolte. Here’s why he chose it:

This year’s TED Prize winner is my favourite of all the winners to date. I suspect one of the reasons is that he spent his childhood on my continent, Africa, before civil war took his family to the USA. Here, as immigrants, and with the support of communities not ravaged by the prejudice against people from other countries that today seems so rife, the Panjabi family built a good life.

Illness is universal — but access to care is not. Physician Raj Panjabi has a bold vision to bring healthcare to everyone, everywhere. With the 2017 TED Prize, Panjabi is building the Community Health Academy, a global platform that aims to modernise the way in which community health workers learn vital skills, creating jobs along the way. The prize is not only a cash amount of $1 million, but access to the TED community to help amplify the idea. Take a listen and let’s all join in helping to bring healthcare to all, while creating jobs at the same time.

With unemployment at extraordinary levels in many parts of Africa, it is this kind of initiative that is needed to break the cycle of poverty.

Listen to Carel’s feedback from TED 2017 Vancouver