Friday 11 September, 2009

World
UK
Politics
Health

A London ambulance in action

By Charles Gardner

President Barack Obama’s attempts to reform the health care offered in the United States has, it seems, divided his nation as bitter rows ensue between rival lobby groups.

You certainly get the sense that medical aid across the pond depends largely on what you can afford, as it does in other countries including my own homeland of South Africa when I was growing up, and in that scenario it is understandable why a President elected on a mandate of concern for the poor should want to pursue this.

But it is a risky business which has defeated previous occupiers of that noble office. And the debate has spilled over into Britain as some conservative objectors to the reforms, designed to make health care more widely available, point to the recent problems of the UK’s National Health Service – such as long waiting lists, botched operations and an overmanned bureaucracy – as reason enough not to go down that road.

Others, meanwhile, including Obama supporters and British politicians, have rushed to the defence of the NHS. Business Secretary Peter Mandelson described it as “one of our greatest achievements” while both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Opposition Leader David Cameron, who have both lost young children in tragic circumstances, are full of praise for what has become an important national institution.

And so they should be. For all its present faults, the NHS – founded in 1949 to provide free health care for all at the point of need – is still the envy of the world. And of course it gets used and abused, over-stretched, undermanned and under-funded. But our health is more important to us than perhaps anything (in this life at least); and it is a huge weight off our minds to know that if things go badly wrong and we need urgent medical help, we can go along to the doctor, or the local hospital, and get it – without being afterwards presented with a bill we can ill afford.

But it seems so different in America, as illustrated by the case of the attractive young lady who, when being pulled out of a car wreck, did not want to get into the ambulance for fear of the cost.

I understand that medical debt is the principle cause of personal bankruptcy in America and that 46 million people are denied health care there, which is an appalling situation not only for a wealthy nation but, perhaps more aptly, for a nation built upon the Christian foundations of early settlers like the Pilgrim Fathers who lived ‘by the Book’ (the Bible) which constantly reminds us “not to forget the poor”.

And it was on this basis, really, that the NHS was founded under a Labour government. As not everyone seems aware, the Labour Party emerged out of a social reform movement led by dedicated Christians like Keir Hardie, with a concern for righting injustices such as poverty and unfair wages.

To be fair, there are medical schemes to help the poor in the U.S., but they seem to have a limited reach.

My family have certainly benefited greatly from the NHS and are full of praise for the institution. My mum had her life transformed by a double hip replacement and my younger brother David had his life saved by the untiring efforts of staff at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington after losing his leg at Edgware Road in the 7/7 terrorist bombings.

I was fortunate when growing up in South Africa to have a compassionate father for a doctor because most people had to pay for medical attention whereas, as a chronic asthmatic, I was able to call on his services at any time. He also didn’t have the heart to charge some of his poorer patients, which is no doubt one reason why he never got rich. But most people avoided doctors like the plague – because it affected their pockets.

The Christian message is good news for the poor, as Jesus confirmed to those who came from the imprisoned John the Baptist to ask if he was indeed the promised Messiah. Yes, he was the fulfilment of what had been prophesied – anointed by God to “bind up the broken-hearted, heal the lame, cure the lepers, restore sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, and preach good news to the poor.”

And it was for the cause of Christ that subsequent disciples like the legendary Dr David Livingstone gave up everything to preach the gospel – and heal the sick!

Photo: stock.xchng