The quest to get medical attention

A few days ago one of my friends got sick and had an unforgettable experience, but to start would be worthwhile to remember a song in spanish that would help me tell this story: El Niágara en bicicleta by Juan Luis Guerra.

Why? Well because the quest to find decent medical care in this country is more or less what this song tells: a complete ordeal. The only recognized disease in the hospital we went (the best in the area) is malaria, relatively common, even I'm not doctor nor I have no idea about medicine know is not the only one that exists here. It turns out that my partner began to feel ill, to show serious symptoms and went to the hospital where the same nurses determine who has priority, being white entered first. I only did a test Malaria Express, but was negative as was returned home just as if nothing had happened.

And continued several days and returned to the hospital emergency room was closed at dawn. I mean, do not even think about getting ill outside office hours. By the time we got the doors opened, the nurse only gave some medication to relieve chest pain but I really think that she was not sure what was happening. To complete the power went out, no water to take pills or even a blanket for warmth.

When at last the doctor arrived followed by giving more analgesics for pain but had not the slightest idea of ​​the cause. Moreover, he tried several times to complete the injection.

According to WHO there are 548 doctors in Mozambique in 2010, ie 0.3 per 10000 inhabitants but says it takes at least 23 (per 10,000 pop.) to cover at least the basic health needs for the population. The problem is that most of them are in the city and this country needs to supply more than the basic limits because the poor quality of food, water and general living conditions is more a liability than an asset .

Then both the rights proclaimed in the paper, in this case access to care, simply not met. Is it that we call developing countries if we are not betting on the development of our society, people who daily strives to build the country? Sadly there are stories more difficult than ours of ordinary people who deserve but do not have access to such freedoms.

If you ask me any strategy to achieve desired economic development I would answer that investment in improving living conditions for the prevention, medical attention and a health system for the common people would be a first step.

One woman fainted in line to take an exam