SONGSOPTOK
INTERVIEW WITH SILAS
HEALTHCARE
– A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE?
SONGSOPTOK: Do you consider primary healthcare to be a fundamental right? Is
it deemed as such in the society you live in? Please explain your answer with a
few examples if possible.
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: Yes, I strongly believe that primary
healthcare is a fundamental right, after all, one of the three unalienable
rights espoused by Thomas Jefferson, which became a major part of Bill of
Rights is: "All men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty, and pursuit of
happiness." If a child or an individual is denied quality healthcare
through a non provision, how would divinely given right to life be enjoyed?
Even though, not every human society as of today provides primary healthcare to
its citizens, but people shouldn't
relent by insisting on quality
healthcare, which is not only a must, but a sacrosanct.
SONGSOPTOK: What is the system of healthcare in the
country and the society you live in? Is it a just and equitable system in the
sense that all citizens enjoy the same benefits across economic and social
classes?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: I live in a society where health-related
issues are considered as both a right of
individual and major duty of a state to
provide. Yet, we are still far from health for all. Even though, the 2010
Affordable Care Act passed by the
Congress was a significant leap in healthcare sector in the United
States; I will say: "it is not yet
uhuru." Because not everyone has access to quality healthcare, even those
that do, sink under the burden of high
cost of medical care.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you think that free
healthcare cannot be a right, but it can be a privilege and a shared burden of
sacrifice for the sake of the social contract?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: No, I do not; but it is very unfortunate
that many human societies see "free
healthcare" as a privilege rather than a right, which shouldn't be. But
beyond right-privilege issue, most governments today do not see healthcare
issue as a contract, rather, they see it as more of business, more of commerce,
and more of economic activities of demand and supply. People will be sick, that's demand, care provided with a price tag is the supply that
professionals and medical institutions
do provide. With the rising cost of medical care, decline in revenue for
governments worldwide, the social or humane aspects of healthcare which include
but not limited to compassion, humanitarian, and sympathetic standing are lost;
what we have today is cash-and-carry service.
Pay before or during service, failure may result in non provision
of care with a fatal outcome or consequences.
SONGSOPTOK: What, in your opinion, should
be the role of the government for ensuring equal healthcare to all citizens?
What role is played by the government of the country you live in?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: To me, primary healthcare should be one of
the major duties or responsibilities of the state just like education and
security; because health is wealth; and if health is provided at primary level,
it reduces care cost and fatalities at secondary level. Remember a healthy
citizenry is the bedrock of development and greatness of any nation. Although,
governments in United States involve in healthcare of their citizens at
different levels through multiple social and insurance programs such as
Medicare-insurance for Americans aged 65 and older, who have worked and paid
into the system; some younger people with disabilities, people with terminal and end stage illnesses. Another
program is the Medicaid-social health care program for families and individuals
with low income or limited resources.
These are great government supported programs; not to say they are
perfect, but they offer some hope to they needy. They serve as fallback to the society.
SONGSOPTOK: According to the data published
by World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 16 000 children under the age of 5
die every day in the world (5.9 million in 2015) from infectious, neonatal or
nutritional conditions. Is this a reality in the country you live in? If so,
what would your suggestions of improvement be?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: Although, the situation in United States is
far better compare to what happens in other parts of the world, yet, it is not
the best; considering reports and available data, a Health Affairs, an online health reporting
journal said: "US infant mortality was poorer than twenty-six countries in
the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)"; the
situation was not better with post neonatal
mortality, and other age groups,
because United States in "1999 ranked thirty-third in its death rate for
children under age five (thirty-seventh for females and thirty-first for
males)." More so, subsequent reports have be encouraging as other
industrialized nations performed better than United States. However, what the
report shows is there are always need for improvement in healthcare provision
even in advanced economies.
SONGSOPTOK: “Free access to healthcare is a
fundamental human right. Access to free healthcare is not” – do you agree with
this statement? Please explain your choice.
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: I do, but it depends again on where
individual lives. Citizens of most industrialized nations in the world have
free access to healthcare, more so, it is one those rights they enjoy. In most of these countries, children under 18
years of age have access to free medical services. In United States, the newly
passed Affordable Care Act places children under twenty-four years of age on
parents insurance and plus several other medical benefits children can enjoy.
SONGSOPTOK: How important is the role of
the private sector for providing healthcare and related facilities in your
country? What it is your opinion about it?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: Just like government, private sector has a
major role to play in providing healthcare for their employees, more so, help
with medical related facilities in
communities they are located. Sad to
say, it barely happens. Employees, the core assets in corporate organizations
are barely provided with health insurance, and where they do, it is very
expensive because corporations neither contribute nor provide match up money to offset cost. In most cases, private
sectors concern is their profit, and how best to maximize it. This situation may continue as long
government keep silent to employees plight; it will get worse in a monopoly and,
or oligopoly economies, where there is an "exclusive possession or control
of supply or trade in a commodity or service; or a state of limited competition
in which market is shared by a small number of producers or sellers."
However, with government's intervention in these ways, things could be better:
1) Making corporate organizations contribute
certain percentage of their annual net profits into Health Trust Funds. Funds
to invest in both capital and material development in health sector.
2) Encourage a plough-back system, where corporations are encouraged to
invest in health sector in communities where they operate.
3) Make it mandatory by law for
corporate organizations with certain number of employees to provide health insurance for their
staffers.
Failures to do so must come with severe penalty.
SONGSOPTOK: Are charitable and
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) active in the domain of public health? If
yes, then in what spheres? Do you think that the civil society, either
independently or through these organizations, should become the prime actor for
ensuring healthcare for all?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: In
several societies Non-Governmental Organizations, religious bodies, good cause
related organizations are very active, but with minimal impact. Some of these
bodies have health facilities and clinics around the globe, some even do send
health personnel to areas of need, especially, in times of crises or
emergencies. However, their activities are limited by funds, unfavorable
political climate, inclement weather,
and though geographical terrains. Regardless of difficulties they
encounter, they should be encouraged, more so,
be included as part of primary
healthcare providers.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you think that multinational
pharmaceutical and healthcare companies are responsible, to a certain extent,
for the widely variable quality of healthcare in different countries? Can you
please illustrate your reply with somemujl examples?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: There is no doubt, the
multinational pharmaceutical companies and other healthcare providers
are responsible for different care in countries around the globe. In western
hemisphere, where most of these pharmaceutical companies are based, they
give the best drugs, medical procedures,
and quality tools to home medical personnel, even with a cost. On the other
hand, politics, profit, and stiff competition adversely affect what
Pharmaceutical companies do in foreign lands. The Pharmaceutical Industrial
Complex, in most, if not in all cases push profits ahead of social
responsibility in lands other than homelands.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you think that adopting the
Social Security model implemented in a lot of countries in Europe which ensures
primary health coverage to all citizens and is financed by the totality of the
working population can be relevant and efficient in all countries?
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: I
think adopting the Social Security model will go a long way in providing quality healthcare to the citizens, but a
caution: no single European nation's Social Security model is perfect and error
proof; even United States' therefore, no particular nation's model should be
automatically adopted.
But it will be advisable to study all
available models and the intended beneficiary in order to craft a model that
will suit the local need.
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI: IS A
POET, HISTORIAN, AND CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGIST; ABAYOMI LIVES IN UNITED STATES.
We
sincerely thank you for your time and hope we shall have your continued
support.
Aparajita Sen
(Editor:
Songsoptok)
0 Comments
