Healthcare reform and the mediocre

I am astonished beyond measure that the current president is facing the same kind of opposition that several of his colleagues had faced in an attempt to overhaul a healthcare system that is both on the verge of self- destruction, myopia and at the same time adversely affecting the economy of the country with the largest democracy in the world.

Funny as it may sound, the mentality of those opposed to the reform is still the same, dogmatic, sentimental and at worst detrimental to the overall wellbeing of the nation. To such people the maxim, “a healthy nation is a wealthy nation is not pragmatically applicable at all. What a shame.

Over and time again the argument against reform of the healthcare system had always center on cost! Nevertheless how many Americans had the time to think about the investment the nation has made in mediocrity ventures such as the war in Iraq, championing diabolic anti- terrorism tactics that completely dehumanize humanity and stand by and watch the proliferation of racial and other discriminatory profiling?

Without an iota of doubt, I am so ashamed of some of our politicians who put politics ahead of policies that will help the average Americans. My regret for such politicians and the interests they sort to protect is beyond measure and is more or less tantamount to the betrayal of the people’s trust, vote and capacity to get the help they needed from their representatives.

I am one of those who practice in the healthcare field and have witness firsthand the detrimental, inimical and derogatory conditions that majority of Americans without healthcare insurance have been subjected to. The humiliation is beyond expression, let alone to begin to imagine the near indifference that they faces before providers and the so called insurance negotiators or go between that are only interested in the pocket rather than their fellow human beings.

The contemporary America healthcare system very much remind me of my native country; Nigeria- a country that has boundless human and natural resources and yet is unable to  comprehensively tap these resources to make life a little bit better for its citizenry. In the United States of America or rather pardon me on the basis of healthcare system- the United Stress of America, we have qualified professionals that can render the best possible medical and scientific intervention, however as a result of the mediocrity and egocentrism of the healthcare insurance and their proponents majority of these experts have their hand tired and can do little or nothing to alleviate the people’s woes.

It is not unusual to hear a professional in the medical and healthcare field deny rendering service to an uninsured patient on the ground that he may be risking or jeopardizing his practice, since such actions at times is misrepresented by the insurance company as giving medical attention to a patient that it will not benefit from. The implication is not farfetched; you may be considering being a renegade practitioner rather than a participant in the healing ministry.

The call for healthcare reform may be as hold as over six decades nevertheless, and even though the same argument still keep coming up, I am however convince beyond reasonable doubt that in spite of the confusions and nonentities that antagonists are saturating the people with, justice, accountability and pragmatism will prevail. Mr. President Barack Obama will help fulfill the dream of majority of Americans who are living within the vicinity of plenty and are yet so hungry that they are just like the Biblical Lazarus that could not even feed from the crumb that fell from the rich man tables!

The contemporary “rich man” is the Republicans, Lobbyists, Democrats and others who are blindly opposed to making life better for the people under the disguise of cost, while in reality they just care only about their comfort and those of their loved ones.

What a shame!

Question and Answer

Peter Odeh –
About the Author:

Peter Odeh was born on April 21st 1972 to Chief (Hon.) Onoja Odeh and Mrs. Oronya Odeh of Idiri and Oklenyi Clan of Okpoga Benue State Nigeria. He was educated at the University of Calabar under the College of Medical Sciences and graduated with Second Class Upper degree pass in Medical Laboratory Technology.
Mr. Odeh holds the licensure and certification to practice as a medical technology in Nigeria and the United States of America. He is married to Helen and the couple has four kids, Oga, Oronya, Olofu and Onoja.
He currently practice in Baltimore Maryland, were he has been living since 2002.