Universal health care system in Nepal:

 

Have you guys seen this Michael moore’s new film “Sicko”?, if not then I recommend you all to see it. I think Nepal is heading the same direction as US when it comes to the health care and the political system.

 

When I first came to Denmark 12 years ago and got to know the system I really liked the idea of this welfare and universal health care system, I thought if this was implemented in Nepal, our country would be paradise in earth. where every one is looking after one another and supporting each other through the system.

But why have we not created this kind of system?

I guess that is because we did not think of it as I myself had not; while I was in Nepal and would have never thought of it if I never traveled out of Nepal.

 

In a way I am glad that lot of Nepali are aboard and now they have seen and understood this system of welfare and system of solidarity. and I can only hope that us Nepali living aboard can some how influence our government and system to think otherwise. We all should spread the words and influence as many people as we can to think as “We and US” instead of “I, Me and Myself”.

 

Materialize system:

 

I like as Mr. moore said at the end of the film, “when they build a better car we drive it, when they make a better wine we drink it… but if someone makes a better system why don’t we practice it?”

 

Hindi movies are the copy of Hollywood movies and Nepali movies the copies of old Hindi movies, why only copy the movies or television shows why not copy a better things of the system and good things of other system to make ours better.

Western way of life is copied in the Katmandu valley, but without morality. Imported products are highly appreciated in the society, every one want’s to try it, do it, experience it.

I ask why?

- I will tell you why, because it is new, and we have created a materialistic, and wannabe society.

 

- what would happen If these politicians bought a bus with that same money that they buy their expensive and advance car?

- Instead of one person many people would get transport and would be happy.

 

But again this is an example of thinking for one self instead of all the others.

 

But How?

 

Lot of Indians industrialist are living off Nepal’s resources, and are being billionaires off Nepali people. why don’t the government in Nepal create a tax system as in Europe, I am absolutely sure this would help Nepal’s economy. and the money that is earned stay in Nepal instead of all the money going to India and it’s economy.

By this Nepal and Nepali people would benefit a lot.

- But I would like to know why is non of this economist in Nepal thinking this way.

- I guess again it is to do something with “I, ME and myself”. How? -well of course through our greatest invasions that every one knows of it and many are proud of this invention but does not admit it. “GHOOS”

 

Billionaires industrialist have bought these politicians and by this means they have bought the whole country. 

 

Home Sweet Home.

 

I myself along with lot other Nepali living aboard love and miss Nepal, and if possible would rather go back and live there forever, after all Home is sweet.

But We all know that our home is not as it is supposed to be.

What is home, how should a home be?

- Home should be a place where you feel safe and can have peace of mind and feel welcome.

- Not where there is constant fighting and insecure, then people look shelter else where, and that is what is happening to the youth in Nepal.

 

- A home is a place if there is disagreement in the family then you discuss a matter on behalf of the family and for the family without self interest, and where even the smallest member can speak out and he is heard by the whole family.

Many of you are parents, I would like to ask you people do you bring your children up for your own interest? do you buy them gifts and feed them and buy them what they want thinking about your own interest. would you sell your children because you can earn money, or respect or what ever. No You would die for them.

 

- A country is made with families and is like a big family, so why cant we build our home better, so those who are aboard can someday return to their home and feel good.

 

- Just a thought.

-Gurudev

 

As ridiculous as it may sound, frankly, I don't think universal health care should be a top priority for Nepalese, at least at this point. I would rather recommend that we have at least few hospitals (with doctors) in every cities and villages in the country.

It goes without saying that to have universal health care, the government should bear the huge portion of the cost. We don't even have a functioning government that upholds the rule of law and guards the safety and security of its citizens, let alone come up with such sweeping reforms. Our government is quagmired in debts and loans. Let's reduce our Nepal Oil Corporation's debt that we owe to India first.

Also, to have universal health care, the role of insurance companies cannot be negated--be it for-profit ones or not-for-profit ones. I don't think general populace in Nepal have concept of insurance, neither do we have a robust insurance industry. So, I think we are a looong-way from having a universal health care in Nepal.

I agree with you completely, Yes no doubt Nepal is in deep shit and is drowning even more, by the corrupt government that we have, and apparently who ever comes to power are corrupt on the process. To come on the top it seems as if people have to learn to misuse power along the way. You cannot go among a pack of thieves wearing a police dress, you have to look like one of them and in the process you become one of them, obviously. And this concept is very wrong.

 

Paying off loans of the country is a long term process, but this should not mean that we cannot make our system better in the process. There are many sick people who cannot afford the medicine and the treatment and have no other choice but to live with it and wait for death to take over. And there are many people in Nepal who have enough money to teat themselves, even in foreign countries among the best hospital and doctors.

 

We both can agree that where there is poor to the ground there also are rich till the sky, because rich exist because of the poor. If not just absorb the difference between rich and poor from the different country of the world. I may be wrong but at least that is how I see it.

 

I also agree that we need more doctors and hospitals in Nepal, may be not completely free to start with but at least so cheap that any one can effort it, Like i.e the poor pays very less amount or no amount depending on his social condition, and the rich pay the full price by this way they also are paying for the poor. And of course the hospital should have the best doctor and latest equipments to attract also the rich patients. Why this difference if you ask me then I can only say that because no matter what we can all agree on that there is a difference in people in Nepal, and we even talk about it. But do nothing positive about it.

 

If our government and maosist have the finance to buy deadly weapon to kill each other then they also must have a finance of building hospitals and the maosist soldiers as a work employer to build this instead, and use the money which is for buying artillery for the salary for the employee of this project.

I have heard that lot of Nepali doctor leave the country and are washing dishes aboard.

 

Buying weapons is no good for the country, why coz if we are in war we cannot win the war in this modern world with these modern technology and two large countries in the top and the bottom both with nuclear weapons. Why we are not so clever instead to use this advantage of the both countries as we all know that both India and China hates each other not officially but they both have this ego and we in the middle could have use this as an advantage for our self.

 

But I agree that if the system is corrupt then any project to function properly is difficult.

An excellent article in the NYT about the rising cost in health care industry, particularly as it relates to the United States.

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The relentless, decades-long rise in the cost of health care has left many Americans struggling to pay their medical bills. Workers complain that they cannot afford high premiums for health insurance. Patients forgo recommended care rather than pay the out-of-pocket costs. Employers are cutting back or eliminating health benefits, forcing millions more people into the ranks of the uninsured. And state and federal governments strain to meet the expanding costs of public programs like Medicaid and Medicare.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/opinion/25sun1.html?pagewanted=1

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Since we have neither resources nor the infrasturctures to have a universal health care system in Nepal, I think we should focus on things that are practical and things that can improve the health conditions of the people.

I really liked Sanukaji's project (Sandra--I voted twice for the project :) ) in what it could do to reduce, if not eliminate, so many health problems that exists in the rural parts of the country. Yes, alternate sources of energy,  instead of firewoods that are commonly used in rural parts of the country, can greatly reduce the exposure of women and children to hazarduous conditions, thus reducing the risk of getting ill. That alone can go a long way to make people healthier.

Since there is no way that people in rural parts of the country can afford the insurance premiums to have health insurance, I think it is better to have a government regulated privatized health insurance programs, as a start-up, in our big cities where people are relatively wealthy and health conscious. With this smaller model, we can amend things, as it relates to our country, and include more and more people every year. This can also guarantee a sense of security to doctors so that they are likely to stay at home and offer their services.

I have nothing to comment about, nothings gonna change anyway? But yeah great thought Gurudev, Guest4!

 

YekloYatri

One way for the government to allocate money to insure its employees is by abolishing the Ministry of Defense. There is no reason why we should be wasting huge portion of our budget in paying for the army which we will never have to use to defend our territories.  Recognizing the glorious history of the Nepal army and its invaluable role in peacekeeping missions, however, it is in our interest to preserve some form of Nepal army, but the number should be no more than ten thousand. Instead, there is a need for us to increase the number of police and provide them with armors to fight crimes. With that significant amount of money unspent due to abolition of the Ministry of Defense, we will at least have the money to provide benefits to men and women who are on the streets to safeguard us.