Dear Editor,
With the continued debate about the nation's policy on health care and the discussion as to whether or not it should be universally accessible, the time has come for us to do a deep dive for solutions, especially with the pending elections.
If nothing else, certainly the generation that I am a part of will seek to be guided by policies when we vote. Therefore, a discussion on this most important issue is needed. The issue of access must be examined properly, as having access is paramount to a productive labour force.
We must seek to have a full discussion on health and certainly its impact on productivity. The conversation must not be had on the basis that we can't afford it, but rather whether we have the liberty of not affording it.
Given that proper health care spans both mental and physical, inaccessibility may be responsible for many of the social ills we face. Could it be that some type of heinous crimes taking place are linked to issues surrounding mental health? Could it be that the lack of access resulted in some people being crippled?
We must not seek to do away with the policy, but rather ensure a more feasible policy to foster access. I will be bold enough to say, let us increase and improve the number of primary health-care facilities across the country. Let us provide incentives for doctors and registered nurses, such as housing, to facilitate greater access. Let us create a policy so that people -- excepting for accident and other emergencies -- must be referred to secondary health-care facilities (hospitals) by a primary health-care facility (clinic). In essence, let us localise health care so that we can maximise access and remove overcrowding at the hospitals, thus providing better care.
Omar Francis
omar_francis_29@hotmail.com
Health care needs a strategy
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With the continued debate about the nation's policy on health care and the discussion as to whether or not it should be universally accessible, the time has come for us to do a deep dive for solutions, especially with the pending elections.
If nothing else, certainly the generation that I am a part of will seek to be guided by policies when we vote. Therefore, a discussion on this most important issue is needed. The issue of access must be examined properly, as having access is paramount to a productive labour force.
We must seek to have a full discussion on health and certainly its impact on productivity. The conversation must not be had on the basis that we can't afford it, but rather whether we have the liberty of not affording it.
Given that proper health care spans both mental and physical, inaccessibility may be responsible for many of the social ills we face. Could it be that some type of heinous crimes taking place are linked to issues surrounding mental health? Could it be that the lack of access resulted in some people being crippled?
We must not seek to do away with the policy, but rather ensure a more feasible policy to foster access. I will be bold enough to say, let us increase and improve the number of primary health-care facilities across the country. Let us provide incentives for doctors and registered nurses, such as housing, to facilitate greater access. Let us create a policy so that people -- excepting for accident and other emergencies -- must be referred to secondary health-care facilities (hospitals) by a primary health-care facility (clinic). In essence, let us localise health care so that we can maximise access and remove overcrowding at the hospitals, thus providing better care.
Omar Francis
omar_francis_29@hotmail.com
Health care needs a strategy
-->