Dr. Mike Meegan is a strong activist who has dedicated his whole professional life and professional services to improve the lives of those in Kenya and other Sub-Saharan communities in Africa and in Asia.
Dr. Mike Meegan is a multifaceted professional who has offered services and expertise to not only help improve poverty-stricken villages of Kenya, but also help raise awareness about the many poor conditions these citizens face on a daily basis. Inspired by the works of Mother Teresa, Meegan has offered his skills as a philanthropist, author and medical professional to discover new solutions for those suffering in Kenya. In an effort to protect the traditions and wisdom of these African villages, Meegan has spearheaded many progressive efforts to improve human rights throughout the poor world.
Specifically, Dr. Meegan has focused on improving the health resources that Kenyans and other Africans access, as well as women’s rights within these communities. Believing that his work, and that of other volunteers, is a lifelong mission, Meegan has lived and worked in Kenya for over thirty years. As a volunteer in Africa, Dr. Meegan concentrated on informing citizens about infant health and reproductive health, which includes working to prevent instances of genital mutilation—a problem that continues to affect many African women. Additionally, Meegan specializes in treating citizens that suffer from diarrhea and other public health issues—including AIDS/HIV and malaria. He has directed funds from donors as diverse as the Japanese and Danish Governments, the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the European Union to the Global Fund and Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. He has been widely recognized for his contribution to fighting Global poverty receiving Irelands rare International Person of the year award (2003) and an Honorary Doctorate in Medicine for his services to International health research by the National University of Ireland in 2006.
Today, Mike Meegan utilizes his education in philosophy, as well as his Masters in Community Health, to work with other volunteers in Kenyan communities to introduce new resources for communities suffering under extreme poverty. Proud to have the opportunity to collaborate with other caring individuals and activists, Meegan continues to lead his efforts to build women’s clinics in Kenya and raise awareness about the many issues that impact these citizens.
Understanding the motivation of Dr. Mike Meegan, means going back to see who and what inspired this man to perform works of service for the common good. Specifically, Meegan is noted to have gained his inspiration from Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a woman known for her undying compassion for human beings. Moved by Mother Teresa’s ability to help those in need when no others would lend a hand, Meegan decided to dedicate his life to improving the lives of individuals stricken by poverty, hunger, illness and human rights violations. This passion was amplified even greater when he met Mother Teresa. He created a charity to serve the poorest of the poor with a close friend Fr Paul Cunningham a Holy Ghost Missionary with decades of experience in Africa. He also founded ICROSS with Dr Joe Barnes MD, Emeritus Professor of Tropical Medicine, (RCSI) a World Expert on Leprosy who continues to support ICROSS work in Kenya.
As a firm believer that education can promote good works throughout humankind, Dr Mike Meegan concentrated his academic pursuits on helping those people in need. As a young student who dreamed of improving the lives of those citizens in developing nations, Meegan focused his initial higher education goals on the subject of philosophy. Earning his undergraduate degree in philosophy, Meegan was able to see the world through multiple perspectives, allowing him to better empathize with those in Africa who were stricken with poverty, illness and hunger. With a strong foundation in philosophy, Meegan developed an unyielding passion for establishing beneficial resources and ethical communities with Kenya and elsewhere. This has impacted on many of his writings, lectures and books.
After gaining his degree in philosophy, Mike Meegan earned his Masters in Community Health from Trinity College Dublin. With a practical foundation in public health, Meegan had the knowledge that would allow him to approach the very difficult medical issues that pervade the lives of many Kenyans. Today, this expertise has allowed Meegan and his team of volunteers to establish resourceful women’s health clinics, treat the pervasive issue of diarrhea among village citizens and raise awareness about AIDS/HIV, malaria and other public health matters.
Following his initial passion to help others, Mike Meegan began traveling to Africa to help those in need in 1979. As a humanitarian, Meegan understood that there were many ways for individuals to make a positive impact, such as by offering donations or raising awareness. However, for Meegan, the solution for him was to travel to where the problem existed—prompting him to leave behind the modern conveniences many take for granted in the United States and tackle the many issues that have permeated Kenyan culture.
Although the accomplishments of Meegan and his associated within Kenyan communities may seem like a lot, he has put forth even more efforts to ensure that affected citizens would remain on a path toward wellness. As such, Dr. Mike Meegan combined his firsthand encounters in Kenya and his medical expertise to author a wide array of articles that have helped raise awareness about the many public health problems that impact this country—and many other developing nations. While his physical labor and services within Kenya have helped directly improve the lives of suffering individuals, Meegan’s articles and books have helped shed new light on the many human rights violations that occur in the country, prompting many other medical professionals and volunteers to lend their help to change these matters.
Assessing the Public Health and Human Rights Issues
The complexity of issues that have developed within Kenya and other African countries is enough to overwhelm even the most steadfast activist. However, Mike Meegan and other dedicated volunteers have helped paved the way to make it possible for caring individuals to give their services in an effort to improve the living conditions found in these communities. While the problems facing Kenyans and citizens of other developing nations are intense, Meegan encourages all those in Western society to learn about these issues. He explains that learning about these matters may spur many individuals to give their services, it not to simply generate greater appreciation of the things many enjoy on a daily basis.
The Need for Women’s Rights in Kenya
Of all of Meegan’s works, he is most noted for his contributions to correct human rights violations impacting Kenyan women. As noted, Dr. Meegan and other volunteers have worked to build women’s clinics to make medical resources more available to citizens. While these establishments have certainly improved the health of many Kenyan citizens, Meegan encourages all activists to become familiar with the wide variety of issues that impact women’s rights in Kenya and beyond.
One of the most present issues impacting women in Kenya is that genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision. In many African cultures, the act of removing a woman’s external genitalia is conducted for religious or traditional purposes.
However, in current culture, these practices are regarded as highly barbaric, carrying no medical benefit to those impacted by the involuntary procedure. In addition, female circumcisions can create a plethora of women’s health issues aside from the collection of human rights violations the practice represents. As an advocate against this practice Meegan is focused on informing Kenyan women that they should never feel pressured or forced to go through with these operations, as well as educating them about the pervasive health risks that can follow a female circumcision.
Another issue impacting African woman that Meegan and many others remain concerned about is the right to reproductive health. While the subject of reproductive health rights remains controversial in many developed nations—including the United States of America—Meegan notes that Kenyan women have long followed a history that has prevented them from accessing even the most basic rights. Specifically, many women in Kenya are unable to simply decide when they will have children, as many individuals become pregnant as victims of rape and are forced to give birth to the child.
Access to contraception has also remained a prevalent issue in African cultures, which has not only led to population problems, but also an increase in sexually transmitted infections, most notably HIV/AIDS. As an proponent of long-term women’s health solutions, Mike Meegan is focused on helping all Kenyans gain access to education that will not only help them understand the need for reproductive health services, but become more engaged in cultural progression. With a greater access to medical resources and improved education throughout Kenyan communities, Dr. Mike Meegan believes that the country has the ability to recover from many of the problems that impact its progress today.
Having been involved in the improvement of Kenyan medical and educational resources since 1979, Dr. Mike Meegan has witnessed just how much progress can come from the help of those who aim to help. Continuing to follow his passion to provide African citizens with access to basic health and education, Meegan believes that the future of Kenya—and many other developing nations—is brighter than ever before.
However, he notes that while he and many other caring individuals have provided service to improve these societies, it is the responsibility of other humanitarians to find a way to give help. Meegan explains, “We are only beginning and now is the time to invite others to share this critical dynamic growth in building a new future, the time is now.” As such, he encourages all those that have the desire to help to pursue potential opportunities to provide firsthand service within disadvantaged communities.
Realistically, Meegan understands that not every Western citizen can find the opportunity to travel to a developing nation, such as Kenya, to provide service. As such, he encourages all individuals to seek out other ways they can give to those in need. One of the most obvious ways that people can make a difference is to donate money to charitable organizations that provide solutions for impoverished nations—such as small charities, Missions and organizations like ICROSS, NWIUK.org and small cost effective groups living among the poor. .
Additionally, Dr. Mike Meegan believes that education is one of the key components of providing a better future for the entire planet. As such, he encourages all individuals to pursue higher education, as the more knowledge a person has, the more positive change they can create throughout his or her lifetime. Following his support of education, Meegan also urges all volunteers and activists to continue to raise awareness about the issues that impact millions of humans every day, including matters regarding the environment, governments, human rights, health and poverty.
Dr Meegans Books, published by www.eye-books.com include ALL WILL BE WELL, CHANGING THE WORLD and SURPRISED BY JOY with three upcoming titles in preparation.
His medical publications include…
1. Randomized Intervention Study of Solar Disinfection of Drinking Water in the Prevention of Dysentery in Kenyan Children Aged under 5 Years. Martella du Preez†, Ronan M. Conroy‡, Sophie Ligondo§, James Hennessy§, Michael Elmore-Meegan§, Allan Soita§, and Kevin G. McGuigan* Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (21), pp 9315–9323, September 21, 2011
2. Sex workers in Kenya, numbers of clients and associated risks: an exploratory survey. Elmore-Meegan M, Conroy RM, Reprod Health Matters 2004; 12(23):50-7.
3. Effect on neonatal tetanus mortality after a culturally-based health promotion programme. Meegan M, Conroy RM, Lengeny SO, Renhault K, Nyangole J. Lancet 2001; 358(9282):640-1.
4. Solar disinfection of drinking water protects against cholera in children under 6 years of age. Conroy RM, Meegan ME, Joyce T, McGuigan K, Barnes J. Arch Dis Child 2001; 85(4):293-5.
5. Growth monitoring: family participation: effective community development. Meegan M, Morley DC. Tropical Doctor 1999; 29(1):23-7.
6. Solar disinfection of water reduces diarrhoeal disease: an update. Conroy RM, Meegan ME, Joyce T, McGuigan K, Barnes J. Arch Diseases Children 1999; 81(4):337-8.
7. Solar disinfection of drinking water contained in transparent plastic bottles: characterizing the bacterial inactivation process McGuigan1, Elmore-Meegan5 Journal of Applied Microbiology V 84 Issue 6pg 1138–1148, June 1998
8. Fly traps. Trachoma prevention and fly reduction, Meegan M, Morley D, Chavasse D. Lancet 1997;349(9055):886.
9. Child weighing by the unschooled: a report of a controlled study of growth monitoring over 12 months of Maasai children using direct recording scales.Meegan M, Morley DC, Brown R. Trans Royal Society Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1994; 88(6):635-7.
10. Dwindling donor aid for health programs in developing countries. Conroy RM, Meegan ME. Lancet 1994; 343(8907):1228-9.
11. Rethinking famine relief. Meegan M K. Lancet 1992; 340(8830):1293-4.
12. Rates of sexual partner change among two pastoralist southern Nilotic groups
in East Africa. Konings E, Anderson RM, Morley D, O'Riordan T, Meegan M. AIDS 1989; 3(4):245-7.
13. Prevention of disease in the poor world. Meegan M, McCormick J. Lancet 1988; 2(8603):152-3.
14. Starvation and suffering. Meegan M. Lancet 1983; 2(8365-66):1506.
15. Meegan M. The reality of starvation and disease. Lancet 1981; 1
(8212):146.