Universal Health Care

There are twenty-five hundred years, the young prince Gautama Buddha left his home in the foothills of the Himalayas, in a state of fear and pain. What is he so upset? We learn from his biography, he was transferred in particular to see the punishment of ill health - in the opinion of mortality (taken a corpse for cremation), morbidity (ill person much) and disability (and reduces people destroyed the naked age). Health is a major concern throughout human history. It is therefore not surprising that health care for all - "universal health care" (CHU) - was very attractive social challenge in most countries, even those that do not have very far to achieve them.

Offer The usual reason for not trying to universal health care in the country, where poverty is. The United States, which can ensure to provide a high level for all Americans to health care is exceptional in terms of popularity, as any kind of universal health care public institution should somehow involve unacceptable intrusion in the life Private. There are significant political difficulties to resist the UHC in the United States, often out of the medical company and served ideologues, "the government will be out of our lives" want, as well as the systematic cultivation deeply suspicious of any kind of the National Health Service as usual in Europe ("socialized medicine" is now a period of terror in the United States).

One of the quirks in the modern world, we have an amazing inability to appropriate use of political things, to make a variety of experiences that are already heterogeneous world can be drawn. There is much evidence of the great contributions that the CHU can make in the promotion of human life, as well as (and this is very important) in improving economic and social opportunities - including the possibility of promoting sustainable economic growth (as was shown in a well Experience the countries of Southeast Asia such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and more recently China).

In addition, the number of poor countries have shown, through their innovative public policy that are given in a remarkably high level for a very low price, the primary health care for all, if society, including political and intellectual leadership to get his act together. There are many examples of success worldwide. None of these specific examples are not perfect, and each country can learn from the experience of others. The lessons that can be learned from these first missions, however, provide a solid basis for the assumption that, as a rule is the provision of universal health care achievable, even in poor countries. Uncertain Glory of India and its contradictions, my book was written in collaboration with Jean Drèze, explained how dirty especially health care system can be greatly improved by learning high foreign peoples and the contrasting performances of the different states of India, the continued health of the various policies.