Healthcare a Fundamental Human Right

 

                                        Healthcare a Fundamental Human Right

Healthcare and medicine is an all-embracing term that refers to a system involving maintenance and enhancement of medical services to meet the health demands of human beings and other living creatures. The quality of healthcare services is one of the most profound factors that predetermines a country's well-being. The system usually varies depending on the healthcare policies of the region. As an International student from West Africa, I was very surprised by the expensive nature of the healthcare system in the USA and the lack of healthcare services especially in relation to underrepresented communities. I was shocked to discover the exorbitant cost of healthcare services, most prominently in terms of emergency healthcare. My dilemma was with regards to the notion that the wealthiest and most advanced nation in the world can't provide basic healthcare to its citizens. My inclination was that the USA provides the best healthcare services in the world. However, when it comes to social factors such as access, cost and quality of services such an argument is yet to be proven. The health care system of the USA is very fragmented as you have healthcare services provided by the Federal Government via the Veteran Health Care system, Medicaid, Medicare, Military health Services system, and so on. There are also special healthcare features provided by the State and Local government which is completely unrelated and separated from the Federal government. One can also attain healthcare services through private financing via insurance and direct payments. Private attainment of healthcare services seems to be the most prominent system in the USA. With all these divisions, there might be an argument that healthcare services are available, however, the complicated and fragmented nature of the US healthcare system makes it difficult for citizens to take advantage of the readily available health services.  

 The US lacks a uniform health system that could offer universal healthcare coverage. Its healthcare system can be referred to as hybrid as it is funded from different sources, such as private funds, households funds, and private businesses funds. The majority of medical and nursing services in this country are privately-owned. With all these fragmentation one may ask whether the better alternative is universal healthcare. I am a firm believer that every individual has the right to quality healthcare services. With this belief, I tend to lean towards universal health care as it makes it easier for patients to seek treatment. However, though the potential benefits of an increased access to healthcare, universal healthcare has its downsides. One of such downsides would be diminished healthcare services in terms of quality. However, in my opinion, from a holistic view, universal health care benefits outweigh the downsides. Universal healthcare can lead to increased demand and access to healthcare services.

The recent Ebola epidemic and the current epidemic of Coronavirus greatly exposed the fragility of the healthcare system in countries like Sierra Leone and to a certain extent the fragility of the Global Health System. Despite tremendous progress in the field of medicine, some communities due to economic disparities still lack access to basic healthcare education and healthcare delivery. These circumstances often translate to harsh realities of high mortality rates. To alleviate such a reality, programs should be implemented to train more health professionals from underrepresented communities. It's also essential for health professionals to be encouraged to practice in remote areas and policies should be implemented to increase access to healthcare. Due to the lack of healthcare infrastructure in Sierra Leone, partly caused by the gruesome civil war, the Ebola epidemic succeeded in killing thousands of lives. The rampage of the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone and neighboring countries underlies the problems that exist in the healthcare systems of impoverished populations. There needs to be targeted training of healthcare professionals from underrepresented and impoverished populations. It has been documented that impoverished and minority populations receive substandard health care compared with more affluent populations. The lack of a diverse workforce may foster lingual and cultural barriers, bias, and clinical uncertainty within the patient–provider relationship. Conversely, workforce diversity also has been associated with both greater satisfaction with care received and improved patient–provider communication.

My strong belief and commitment to a safe and affordable healthcare stem from the personal experiences of a gruesome rebel civil war in my country of birth Sierra Leone. During the civil war in Sierra Leone, there was massive mutilation of limbs, destruction of institutions such as hospitals, health clinics, and pharmacies to name but a few. As a young kid, I saw many people lose their lives due to the limited access to medical care and effective healthcare delivery. The rebel civil war destroyed the economy of Sierra Leone, which resulted in a rampant and prevalent high rate of poverty. High poverty rates amongst Sierra Leoneans resulted in a lack of access to healthcare delivery. Such tragedy provoked a strong desire to make an impactful contribution to help humanity. In trying to salvage such an issue, I plan to work in the healthcare industry and initiate creative ways in which healthcare services and delivery can be provided to less-privileged individuals effectively and efficiently at an affordable cost.