Why Healthcare For The Poor And Undeserved Remains A Thorny Issue

By Eliza Mendoza


It is a sad fact that medical care has become horrendously expensive. Many people only regard the value of their health when they become ill or when they contract a disease. Those that can afford it pay for medical insurance or health plans and they are able to obtain the best possible care when they need it. The question about providing healthcare for the poor and undeserved people remains a contentious issue in many countries.

There are those that are of the opinion that medical care should only be given to those that are able to pay for it. They argue that all services are expensive and that those that cannot pay for gas should not have gas, that those that cannot afford it should not have medicine. They say that a democracy is about the creation of wealth, not the distribution of wealth.

There is another side to the coin. Many people argue that a democracy is about giving everybody equal treatment. Everybody should have equal access to some basic services and medical treatment is perhaps the most important of all basic services. People without jobs that cannot pay for medical treatment should ever be shown away because such an action will infringe their basic rights as a citizen.

The fact is that there are numerous advantages in providing medical care for everyone, even if such care is basic. Sick people are not productive, cannot work and they overwhelm the social assistance programs of any government. Also, prevention is better than cure. By identifying diseases early and by providing basic treatment, more serious developments can be prevented, thereby relieving the pressure upon the entire public health system.

There are other benefits to efficient public health systems. Those that are not able to receive proper health care may spread diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV and many other infectious conditions that can easily develop into a serious problem. In fact, history provides many examples of national pandemics caused by a few infected individuals. It is in the interest of everybody that a population remains healthy and disease free.

There are also the legal and moral aspects to take into consideration. The constitution is there for everybody, not just for those that can pay for their privileges. It is all fine to enjoy the privileges of the constitution but people suffering from debilitating diseases seldom consider their rights to be a privilege. They would rather have medicine and treatment.

The cost of medical services is expensive. Many people begrudge the additional taxes that they have to pay to finance public medical schemes. There will always be poor people, people in prisons and people that are simply not able to contribute towards society. They simply cannot be left to rot. They need to eat and they need medical attention.

Healthcare for the poor and undeserved, misnomer as the latter is has been a contentious issue for a long time. Nobody should be denied critical care and nobody should go hungry. That is the dream of the free world and those that have should help sponsor those that do not have. The ability to give should be seen as a privilege.




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