Taken For Granted

This past week, when I wasn't napping to get better from the flu, I was thinking about the advantages Americans have. We have easy access to any and all medicines needed to improve our health and doctors who, in a majority of the cases, will know exactly what to do to cure any ailments we may have. Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare are mere examples of the many programs the US has for the sole purpose of keeping Americans healthy. A large percent of the population under age 67 is insured by an employer, some buy health insurance on their own, and the remainder, although uninsured, have health insurance provided by the government for public sector employees (Wikipedia).

So why am I telling you this? Because it's not like this everywhere. Africa is short of doctors and nurses, which should come as no surprise. The continent overall has 1.4 health workers per 1,000 people, which is nothing compared to the 9.9 in America. These poor nations, including Malawi and Zambia, are paying to train medics, who emigrate, to staff the hospitals of the US and Europe. So basically, this shortage of doctors puts rich countries at fault. Africa is subsidizing us, so by rights we should be helping them, when in reality we are hurting them (WashingtonPost).

Many Americans, including us on the north shore, tend to take for granted just how lucky we are to receive shots that fend off flu and yearly physicals with the doctor to check up on our health. Our well-being is extremely important and should never be understated. We need to start helping these poor countries as much as we can and figure out the best ways to improve the conditions they endure, as we have the proper materials to do so.