Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Carissa Etienne, has said inequity and poverty among the population in the Caribbean and Latin America are having a severe impact on health in those regions.
Speaking at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus sixth annual Bernard A. Sorhaindo Memorial Lecture on Tuesday evening, Dr. Etienne said ill health is rooted in inequity and poverty and the Latin American and the Caribbean region is known to have the highest levels among the population.
“The disparities within out population are so great,” she stated. “We have the very very rich and the very very poor living side by side and it is this disparity and inequity that set up the condition whereby people suffer ill health.
She stated that these two factors are proving to be the biggest obstacles to people enjoying a healthy status not only in the region but on a global basis. “In the world today over one billion people have no access to health care of any type and it is those sets of inequity that we are talking about,” Dr. Etienne stated.
She also said Dominica has been a pioneer in terms of primary health care based on the framework that was laid down as early as 1981 and 1982, noting that this continues to be the basis of the island’s health care system.
The topic of the lecture was “Universal Health Coverage” and the presentation was made at the Fort Young Hotel.
Health Care
Dominica is a Christian country. So is the government and all other Dominica authorities in this land. When God is sometimes denied and left out entirely out of our country, our legislatures, parliaments, our hearts, minds, schools, homes, our plans and endeavors, we are slated for failure for Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Therefore, without God, everything is a band-aid, temporary – not lasting. We better believe it.
The saying, “God help those who help themselves”. Will the lack of health care, employment and poverty be eradicated? It could with cooperation from everyone, primarily the government.
Pertaining to Health Care, it is primarily governments’ responsibility to provide health care for their nationals. This is something which was ignored for too long. Those countries which have established health care, it is usually insufficient and below standards.
Those which do not have a health care system, there are ways and means of establishing this. All it takes is for those governments to put their heads together and devise an appropriate strategy how this could be implemented, sustained and be successful.
America assists all nations but it cannot (fully) assist its nationals. Canada does likewise and no doubt Europe. While they provide funding to other governments to assist their nationals, their very own nationals are suffering through cut-backs of vital health services and employment, the latter, no exception in this era whereby some of those who own businesses are very good at.
It is a disgrace that there are still many poor people and those without health care in the US. Unemployment is high in those progressive countries as the U.S., Canada and in Europe. It includes those without health care.
America still does not have a proper health care system. The US government tried to implement health care. Part of it has backfired, to a certain extent, due to the cost for employers and also those who purchase health insurance including matters of immorality and religious conscience which the government has mandated on the nation, the employers. Christian employers are not exempt.
There should be a national health care system. Once again, the government requires money to implement and maintain an effective national health care system which will benefit nationals.
If it is to be successful, money must flow into it.
Everyone, employers and employees should contribute to the health care system. This could be done through an insurance plan and company payroll.
If the poor are unable to contribute, the government should bear the cost. However, where will this money come from if the majority of nationals are unemployed? Will it be from outside help from governments which have their own national financial problems?
Poverty is the prime cause, a contributing factor of ill-health, physically and emotionally.
Government please consider the above how this could be achieved that all Dominicans benefit from health care and proper medical attention.
Dr Etienne I have long been an admirer of yours and I realize your constraints with the content of your delivery and political correctness however we can only fix a problem if we admit that there is one.
I followed with interest your presentation of graphs and.was perturbed by some of the facts presented..
For instance we were lead to believe that infant and neonatal morality was low but for the past years this is the highest it has ever been to the extent that one funeral home was concerned over the amount of funeral request for babies.PAHO themselves became concerned and offered to give aid in the form of staff training.
The graph of numbers of nurses to Doctor ratio was perplexing to me. The number of nurses you indicated was way way in excess of Doctors.iA visit to the hospitals and the districts would put an end to that notion the wards and districts are always short staffed.Remember the recruitment of nurses by USA a few years ago.
Rather than use those figures I would have preferred that you had left it out.Frankly i began to doubt the efficacy of the other graphs as it pertained to Dominica.
when searching for the truth about the health services in Dominica without political bias yuu should speak to the female Ricketts instead as ultimately you will return to America but we will be left here to face the music.
Hopefully you will do behind closed doors what you were afraid to or could not do in public.
Let me take this opportunity to wish you the greatest of success at the Helm of PAHO.
Best Regards
The next step is putting a National Health Insurance scheme in place. We need it, so that everyone and I mean everyone who is employed can contribute just as the Dominica Social Security was implemented. Then a new much-needed hospital would be easier to put in place and/or financed. Looking forward to these steps to the next level.
Dr. Etienne, with due respect to you whom I know, your entire family since childhood and would never state anything derogatory to you or about you. You are a model national and your achievement is one to be emulated especially by the youths. The work you are doing is commendable. I do know you will do your utmost to
change whatever is within your power.
This worldwide poverty is a problem, some of which is the fault of some nationals, commencing from youth to adulthood. While looking back will not change anything, nevertheless, as adults, those who are poor should examine themselves to see where they failed and why they are residing in poverty. Too often governments are blamed for the poverty in their country.
Those governments are not able to assist them because there is no money or very little money to assist them. It appears the majority of nationals are unemployed; some never worked in their lifetime and therefore did not contribute to the economy of the country.
The governments are dependent on foreign governments to assist. Those same governments who assist also have poverty in their country.
I do find that the real issue of poverty and what caused it is never addressed. Probably no one has the correct answer and that poverty will never be rectified.
It is like patients who go to their doctor with a medical problem. The doctor simply prescribes medication without questioning the patient about their lifestyle and/or eating habits and what might be the cause of their medical problem. It is similar to whenever the subject of poverty is discussed. We should ask, who is really to blame for poverty? Surely, it is not solely the government.
I have given this a good thought. It is my opinion. I have considered a solution which may not help the world and everyone in the world because it is too far gone. However, it can assist the young ones. It requires cooperation from all governments, parents and school boards. For now, my plan is to discuss it with the MP and MPP in the country where I reside, if they will listen, pay heed and finds it feasible to implement. On the other hand, probably I will write a book on this matter. It may be more effective.
If we want to change the world, many matters have to be changed. It must be imbedded in nationals that they have a responsibility to their country and to themselves. It should also be imbedded in the youth especially when they commence school. Otherwise the world and people of the world will never change.
More action is required and less talk on the part of those who are leaders of the world/ countries. It appears that they do not know how to change the world, their environment and the situation becomes worse.
DNO, while I was re-reading the writing and modifying it, I noticed there was an interference. I could tell this by my browser which froze and I could not monopolize it. I knew something or someone was interfering with it. This was frustrating.
I noticed when I posted my comments, that one of the lines was out of order. I believe that you have been busy and may also have been posting new articles.
Either that or it is Microsoft which has a habit of coming on while on the system or could it be a hacker? This is another reason why I state that technology could be good and bad.
I realize that I am not the only computer user in the world and that everyone has a similar problem if not the identical one.
There are times, that and other reasons, I am so frustrated that I plan to have my system shut down for good, never to access the Internet again. It would not be a bad idea.
I am observant. I have made a list of what type of information has appeared on my computer when I am on the Internet. This is for future reference.
Always on the alert and keeping a keen, open mind, I now know so much about my computer and control panels that I said to a few people I should take a technician course or other relevant one. No one can deceive me about this relevant matters.
Can you organize to mentor the youth in your area in small groups to help them understand the importance of “work’ and to prepare for it even while they are at school? They also need to understand that all types of work are important and if taken seriously one can live a good life. I believe that mentoring can teach them to be responsible at a very early age and can teach them that we do not live in a Utopia and things will never be perfect but, when things go wrong they can use their critical and creative thinking skills to solve problems that they face.
It woud be good for her to assist the Government she supports in implementing programs to reduce the poverty concerns in Dominica now that she is in a position so to do
New Yorker..My same thoughts…She and others should Stop talking and get into actions..The PMH is a prime suspect!!!..It’s unhealthy and in needs of a full check up…Totally renovations and a rehab place where sick peoples can be healed!!!…
Hope the DMA addresses this issue in Dominica.
that is good for our contry