[afro-nets] Markets for Healthcare: the unending debate (3)

[Jeff Buderer <jeff@onevillage.biz>]

Markets for Healthcare: the unending debate (3)
-----------------------------------------------

Dr Asoka,

In America which is seen to many developing regions as the model
for modernization, many are without health care. This can be
very stressful since it is not guaranteed by the government and
cause serious financial problems if you are not insured and have
a serious illness. For many privatized health care does not seem
so empowering particularly when you consider the rate that
health care costs have increased. Are we progressing when many
in the richest country in the world cannot afford to see a doc-
tor even when they have a serious problem that needs to be ad-
dressed?

For me it is not about ideology but rather about human rights
and common sense: every human being on this planet should have
access to adequate health care private, public or whatever.

Then there is the corruption in the US FDA and the health care
industry that ensures that the primary interest is not the
health of the people but rather the profits of the corporations
and the doctors, lawyers etc. who preside over the health care
apparatus. This does not smell like a recipe for empowerment to
me but maybe it is different in Nigeria. However I don't see the
private health care businesses going into to help the AIDS in-
fected just because it is the right thing to do.

Maybe it's possible to have a socially just health care system
that is market driven, do you know of any models that actually
work?

Jeff Buderer
mailto:jeff@onevillage.biz