It is very difficult for public health to deliver the necessary service to the Libyan people because of the tensions between the government and its own people. The injured members of those people fighting against Gadhafi probably have limited access to resources right now because they have no government backing and no services that are there to serve them when they are injured in a battle. With the military shooting many Libyan protesters, how is healthcare being distributed to these people in need.
I believe that military action by other countries is a necessary step to keep the government from killing its own people, but it is also necessary to provide these people with resources like food, water, and health services. Many resources of the UN countries should contribute efforts to these areas as well. This is also a way to support the opposition to Gadhafi's regime without direct military action. I'm sure there is a need for food and medicine within these opposition camps because the government is not providing anything for them like it would normally for its military. Members of the UN should come together to find a way to help these people.
It would take many public health officials to see where the need is greatest and how to serve these people that are suffering. It is not an easy solution because the government would obviously resist providing basic necessities for these people. If we are going to spend time and money to save lives by enforcing a no fly zone, I think it is also reasonable that providing food and medicine would also save lives in this country. We tend to look at the big picture when sometimes the simplest things can make the biggest impact. There are many questions that would have to be answered for such an effort to take place such as how would supplies such as food and medicine be taken to these people if the government resists such action by foreign countries?
I read an interesting piece in Newsweek about Libya and the doubts regarding Gadaffi's successor. Before the whole crisis, much of the world looked to his son who was Western educate. However, the article mentioned that those authorities who popularized the son's potential underestimated the actual resistance to his rule by the citizens--obviously I think this is now pretty clear. In terms of an opposition force rising up as in Egypt and Tunisia, this would be difficult as Gaddafi actively persecuted and destroyed all oppositions with hit squads, violence, etc. So while there is an opposition, it wasn't possible for them to organize or form a coherent unit unless they were outside of Libya (and even then there's proof that Gadaffi sent squads abroad as well). The article made the point that the best hope for a new leader figure lies in someone rising from the protesters/youth or an expatriate who might suffer from some disconnection. While the revolution clearly needed to happen, right now there are now assurances that things will improve.
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