Question

Responsibility of the individual vs. the public is a major ethics concern in dealing with epidemics. How do public health actions in an epidemic create conflicts between autonomy and the greater good? 2. Consider the stewardship model of public health. 3. When two Americans contracted Ebola. While they were in an Ebola-infected country, they were treated with trial medicines. This action saves their lives, but introduced ethical concerns, present an ethics argument for using these drugs and include the ethics of using these drugs for two Americans and not others.

Answer 1

Epidemic is referred to as the situation where the disease prevalence is affecting every individual residing in the particular region at an alarming rate and the spread of infection is so high that the professionals and the service providers are also at great risk of harm.

During such crises individual health risk versus public health service duties presents as major ethical dilemma within the professionals. The major conflict that arise in this situation is between the autonomy of the individual and greater good clause of serving the health of the community. As per the Hippocrates oath every professional has a set of responsibilities towards the service user and people in demand and refusing to help or treat the individual due to the risk of being affected is against this standard of ethics in health care. the autonomy of the professional is set back in this situation and the public health is to be considered above all for greater good.

As if there would be no one to treat the infected patients the control over the epidemic will not be achieved, therefore, it is stated that the healthcare professionals have to risk their own rights and lives at times to serve the community and practice competent and adequate standard care.

(Please create another order for remaining two questions).