Acheiving Global Impact at the Expense of Our Own

I am writing in response to the article "Shaping the future of health promotion: Priorities for action". This article written by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) outlines the need to promote global health between and within countries around the world. In sticking with Medicare's Canadian values (fairness, equity, compassion and solidarity) health promotion must move beyond the health care system and focus more on the social determinants of health to enable people to take control of their health. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion has laid a solid foundation for the mobilization of health promotion, however new challenges and changing demographics create the need for health care reform and revitalization, in Canada and around the world. " As we move into the 21st century, health promotion researchers, practitioners and policy-makers must build on what has been learnt about effective health promotion in different parts of the world, putting widely into practice what works to ensure that all countries and regions fully implement the ambitions of the Ottawa Charter".

Despite these efforts of bridging health inequalities, the University Health Network in downtown Toronto has issued a $75 million five-year agreement with the Kuwaiti government to provide cancer treatment to their citizens at the Princess Margaret Hosptial. This bold plan highlights the underlying issue of Canadian hospitals: with limited public funds, hospital are now seeking new ways to generate revenue at a time when patients are waiting longer than ever for health care services. The details of this initiative were published in last week's Globe and Mail which drew the attention of some very angry reader's. "Our hospitals are jam packed. Specialists are limited and waiting lists for care are still far too long. No one should be able to buy their way to better treatment". To me, this undertaking goes against Medicare's values, particularly fairness and equity for all. How are we supposed to take care of our own citizens if patients in third world countries are the priority? To me, it all comes down to the lack of funding and limited resources given to health care.See http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario/ontario-hospitals-deal-with-kuwait-sparks-fears-of-queue-jumping/article1889648/ for the full article on this developing story.

Building on my section's seminar discussion, it is clear that there is a critical need for preventative health services in the community. Health services such as dental care, eye care and psychology are all privatized and therefore prevent people from getting the care they need, solely because they simply cannot afford it. In order to move forward with health care reform, policy makers must look beyond the health care system and focus in on the social determinants of health and the underlying causes of illness and disease. The changing demographics of our population pose additional challenges to current policy which must be adressed immediately to help alleviate the burden on the health care system.

See the link for a short video clip published in November 2010:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/healthcare/video-debates-part-1-can-private-clinics-fix-public-health-care/article1795031/