The end of the year always brings about reminiscent feelings of joy, thankfulness and hope. Hope for a happy holiday with friends and family, hope for a better new year and hope for better health and wellness. Yet, many people find themselves this time of year scrambling to have access to basic health care.
A report by the World Bank and World Health Organization found that about half of the world’s population does not have access to crucial health services, such as vaccines and blood pressure checks. The United States is one of the wealthiest nations on the planet and some of the best hospitals and doctors are found right here within our borders. Yet, most residents go medically untreated because they do not have the right health insurance or simply none at all.
We are living in a country where we have access to the best health care, if you can afford it. Wellness becomes a burden to a portion of the population. What does that say when the residents of a country are being pushed into poverty, or worse, still having to wait long periods of time to be treated only for their condition to get worse? Are we born with the right to have access to the best health care that our country can provide? Or are we left to fend for ourselves, health care becoming a commodity to capitalize on, paying for only what we can “afford”? Should medicine and doctor visits be considered a luxury, similar to buying a fancy new car? Or should the overall quality of life be a country’s main concern for its residents?
It is profit over prevention. Some doctors prescribe and recommend treatments or tests because they are benefiting from it. Patients are turned into consumers and their lives are put at stake. Most doctors are focused on prolonging a person’s life versus preserving a person’s quality of life.
What pays is the treatment of a patient. However, being able to pay for services does not necessarily guarantee the services provided are the best options out there. Patients buy into “the latest and greatest,” without having the medical knowledge to understand what it is they are purchasing. Doctors have a huge responsibility in keeping their patients informed, but more so, patients should keep themselves aware before and after their visits.
Most doctors, I believe, have the intention of doing well for their patients. However, temptations from pharmaceutical companies and the incentive of giving the patient tests they don’t need makes doctors deviate from their morals.
Health care has become unattainable to certain groups in our population, putting lives at stake. Our country needs to reform our system to one that emphasizes quality of living to its residents. Greed, selfishness and material things are characteristics that, within our society, are viewed as malicious.
Why then do we continue to let health care become unreachable in a country with vast resources? No one wants to think about losing a loved one during the holidays; no one wants to lose a loved one ever. Something has to change. It does not seem fair to treat a person as a product. We all should be able to have access to basic health care.
Health care should not create a burden on an individual. The holidays are a time for family and friends to celebrate together, happy and healthy.
