This week, on the 7th of April, its World Health Day. On this and every day the World Health Organisation raises and pushes for UHC but what really does that mean. Universal health coverage means individuals and populations receive access to all the essential health services they need without being pushed into poverty. When I looked at this definition it threw up more questions than answers. What are considered essential and if I don’t avail of a health service because it’s too far or I can’t get there or I can’t afford to take a day off work does that count?
Last year when I was pregnant I needed physio. I was horrified that to access it I had to travel to Castlebar and so I started an online petition to get the service reinstated locally. It did eventually but for a year or so people were going without this because they couldn’t travel to access it.
One thing that did stick with me when I did this is the stories people started to tell me, horror stories, about their experiences getting the ‘healthcare’ that they need and no doubt these stories are replicated all over rural Ireland. About cancer patients having to get a 3 buses for treatment in Galway. How one family was told by the on call doctor to call an ambulance for their sick child to be told it wasn’t close by and to meet it half way in Bellacorrick and then to be told en route to make their own way to the hospital that is an hour and 10 minutes away. Thankful the child did not need any paramedic intervention on the way as the Dr though it might. When I think about World Health Day I used to think about poverty stricken countries in the developing world where people don’t have access to clean water and sufficient healthcare. However, here in rural Ireland we perhaps need to look much closer to home to see if what we have is sufficient.
Are those people in our community that can’t get to their treatment on their own considered in this or is the goodwill of the army of volunteer drivers that take covering up a problem that the government really should address. By it’s own definition UHC enables everyone to access the services that address the most important causes of disease and death.
We can’t just assume we will always have access to the healthcare we need and the bottom line and cost savings seem to be taking a greater role than the provision of accessible provision both geographically and financially. Everyone, everywhere, has the ability to advocate for universal health coverage both for themselves and others. The World Health Organisation has a great website with some simple ideas and one of the key things is lobby the policy makers. So this year I’ll be looking to service provision in rural Ireland when I think about #HealthForAll on #WorldHealthDay.