What would the world be like if no one was denied access to medical health due to their financial status? So many people in the world cannot access quality health care because they cannot afford it. It is heart-wrenching to see both the young and old die because they have finances to cater for their treatment. This universal issue should be dealt with because it affects us all. Public health is a collective responsibility, and everyone should ensure that healthcare is accessible. Healthcare should be free because it helps promote social equity, reduce financial burdens, improve public health, and promote economic stability. This essay elaborates on each benefit and explains why we should have free health care.
Free health care promotes social equity. The financial ability of people in the community is different, so the quality of healthcare people receive differs based on their finances. For instance, people from the high social class have a higher chance of getting quality health care than those in the low social class. There are expensive medical treatments, and only the rich can afford them, while the poor end up dying. This is different from how it should be. Everyone should be given a chance to get treatment. Public health is not something that should be dependent on the social class of people. Everyone, regardless of their type, deserves quality healthcare. The World Health Organization is encouraging countries to adopt universal health coverage to help ensure that all people and communities receive quality health services without having to go through financial constraints (Fisher et al., 2022). In countries that use universal medical coverage, there has been a reduction in the impact of diseases and health inequities in general.
Free health care will help reduce the financial burden. When health care is free, people will not have to carry the burden of seeking medical treatment. Illness is not something that is planned for; it just happens. Most of the time, people have to go into their pockets to pay for all the treatment costs, especially those without medical insurance, which can be draining. The families that do not have the financial capability end up losing their loved ones because they cannot pay for their treatment. Others end up going into debt while paying for medical treatment, which can be prevented by making health care accessible. According to the World Health Organization 2023, protecting people from the financial consequences of paying for health services out of their pockets is essential.
Free health care improves public health. As it is popularly said, a healthy population is a healthy nation. This will only be possible when access to health care is not limited to anyone. It will help people access treatment for various diseases and preventive care, which will help reduce chronic illnesses (John & Shah, 2011). Through this, people can go on with their daily work and build the country’s economy. Free healthcare will also help ensure that all diseases are continuously monitored, and intervention methods to prevent them are implemented.
Additionally, free health care promotes economic stability. When the people of a nation are healthy, they are more productive. Most people worldwide need help to meet their primary healthcare needs, and some neglect these needs (World Bank, 2022). Over time, some illnesses that could have been controlled in the early stages progress and affect their productivity. When this happens, people cannot work, and the country’s economy becomes unstable. When people have access to free health care, they can work and be productive, improving the economic stability of their country.
In conclusion, free health care should promote social equity, reduce financial burden, improve public health, and promote economic stability. People do much work trying to make ends meet, and lack of health care should not be among their everyday struggles. The World Health Organization’s move to implement universal health care in all countries should be implemented so that people no longer struggle to access health care regardless of their social class or financial status.
References
Fisher, M., Freeman, T., Mackean, T., Friel, S., & Baum, F. (2022). Universal health coverage for health equity: From principle to practice; A response to the recent commentaries. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9808346/
John, T. J., & Shah, N. K. (2011). Universal Healthcare & Nationwide Public Health: A tale of two declarations from one city. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3193703/#:~:text=It%20also%20protects%20health%20by,a%20threat%20to%20people’s%20health.
World Bank. (2022, 6). Universal health coverage. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/universalhealthcoverage#:~:text=Supporting%20health%20represents%20a%20foundational,the%20majority%20held%20by%20women
World Health Organization. (2023, October 5). Universal health coverage (UHC). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/universal-health-coverage-(UHC)#:~:text=Protecting%20people%20from%20the%20financial,destroying%20their%20futures%20and%20often
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