General Health Care:
So one can wonder about Health care in general, then you can say one should be entitled of basic health care so they can either maintain their health or cure a disease they may have. Well, this might be a case in Europe or the new american health care system, but in Ethiopia, in my country it is a different story.
A young woman, with a child had a blister on her foot: she tells me she comes from rural ethiopia and have traveld for days to get to Addis. I ask "why addis?" she looks at me with surprise and said, "well, my husband kicked me out, and i had no place to go, i couldn't go back to my parents, i couldn't go back to the village i come from, so i came to addis, and since i had no money for transportation, i walked all the way here and i have this blister" I asked her why she is showing that and begging and why she is not going to the hospital, she responds "i have no money for card".
In Ethiopia, health care like anywhere else is the biggest issue. A lot of money/funding is available in Ethiopia for HIV but general health care is a different story. Preventable diseases kills, blinds, and cripples people. OK, so HIV, lets talk about it. According to Population Council only 2% of the Ethiopian population of close to 83 million people are infected/affected by HIV/AIDS but the majority of the money goest to the 2%, while general health care is being ignored. (the way i see it) Now, some people might not like the current ruling party and all, but what they have done to improve the health care in Ethiopia is remarkable (in my opinion). There is a new Mental Health institute in Gefersa, for years it has always been Amanuel. No other major public hospital for the mentally ill. (mental health blog : check later). So when you get sick and you dont have any money, what happens? are you getting immunizations? can you access free medications? and if you need dialisis and chemo can you get it in Ethiopia? Well my friend i would say get SOS and fly out as soon as you know you are getting sick.
What happens is: You get sick, you go to a hospital,
Receptionist: Whats Wrong?
Patient: I am sick, i don't know what happened. I think my stomach hurts.
Receptionist: 50 Birr ($3.57) for card.
(when the majority of the Ethiopian population survives with $2 a month, $3.57 is a bit too much)
Patient: i don't have this money
Receptionist: Well, borrow it from someone or do something else.
It ends here.
When so much money is being poured into Ethiopia, there has not been a single attempt (i have noticed) to improve the general health care or create a system where those unable to pay can get the same kinds of serivces/benefits as those able and rich. Maybe what is needed is an Antibiotic to cure the infection which will cost 9 birr for 24 pieces (0.64 cents) but that infection will grow to be something else and that person will either die, or live in pain until someone helps them or until a miracle drops from the sky.
More about health care later . . .
