Health Care--What you don't hear

We have been hearing about health care all over the place recently: from screaming town hall meetings to vigils to facebook. I was reminded of something--strike that--someone, that has been left out of the debate: the global poor. I certainly agree that we need health care reform in the US so that more people are covered with better coverage.

As a matter of fact, for the last few days my facebook status has been: " Stephen Donahoe thinks that no one should die because they can not afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree please post this as your status for the rest of the day....let's get up to speed with the rest of the civilized world and take care of each other!"

Then a friend brought to my attention that the global poor are left out of this conversation.

In poor countries around the world, health insurance at all(whether government-run or private) would be a dramatic improvement. In many rural communties around the world, the closest doctor might be a day's trip away.

The gap in health care per country is perhaps best demonstrated by the difference in life expectancy: In the US, the average person lives 78.11 years; India- 69.89 years; Nicaragua- 72.9 years; Bolivia- 66.89 years; Philippines- 71.09; Democratic Republic of the Congo- 46.5 years; Zambi- 42.5 years. Isn't that crazy? The average American lives more than 35 years longer than the average Zambian!

While politicians here in DC fight to reform the broken health care system in this country (as they should), Outreach International is working to start the most basic health care systems in communities in the countries mentioned above. Read a success story from the Philippines where a community pharmacy is serving the entire village of 400 people and a story of a local health worker in Guatemala.

Together, we can help ensure the health of the poorest of the poor.

-Stephen Donahoe    

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[Discount Pharmacy]

Health care embraces all the goods and services designed to promote health, including “preventive, curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals or to populations”.