The following article was published by National Post, on Oct 24th, 2023.
As a medical student at Queen’s University, I’ve learned about the importance of preserving life and health.
When I was a young child, I dreamt of a world with flying cars, advanced technology and global harmony. Sadly, those dreams remain unfulfilled, yet the atrocities and risk of a war from Israel-palestine are more prevalent than I could have ever imagined.
Children, who should be nurturing their dreams and aspirations, are instead living through the nightmare of burying their parents. Parents, who should be cherishing moments with their children, now find themselves mourning their young ones at funerals.
It’s a stark reminder of the human suffering that conflicts like this can cause on both sides. In my role as a medical student, I can’t help but see the potential long-term consequences of such conflicts. The strain on health-care systems, the mental and physical health issues that will emerge, and the trauma experienced by the affected population will have lasting effects for generations.
The future of our healthcare system and our leadership is at stake if we allow this crisis to persist and countless lives to be lost. It’s disheartening that we seem to have learned so little from the past.
We find ourselves in a situation where the rights of innocent civilians are stripped away in the name of war. Where are the leaders who consistently advocate for peace and harmony? It often seems that they vanish when conflicts like this arise. The health-care community, including future physicians like myself, yearn for a world where health and well-being are prioritized over conflict.
It’s my hope that we can all work towards a brighter future — one where the dreams of children are not overshadowed by the nightmare of war, and where our health-care system can thrive in an environment of peace and stability.
Kunwar Karim, Alliston, Ont.
