The unequal distribution of medical care resources... (1 Viewer)

[HumanDichotomy]

Today, I was reading an article about bionic limbs. They use advanced technology to allow the person to use the prostheses almost as well as their missing limb. It's amazing, and it's changing the lives of those who use them. But it also got me thinking. How much would all that have cost? The research and the technology and everything? Countless people in the developing world die of preventable causes each day, dying of diseases which people in the Western world never get, and starvation, a prospect which seems unfathomable. Is it really right to keep spending money advancing our own health, despite all we already have, when there are people in the world who die daily, simply because they don't have access to basic medical care?

Discuss.

Also, here's the article if anyone's interested: Bionics — National Geographic Magazine

And here's a vid which deals with inequality in a broader sense.

[youtube]rvTFKpIaQhM[/youtube]

 

[BlackDragon]

It's really interesting how well that video illuminated all the inequalities that exist in the world. The way people live in the western world is so damn far from the way most people experience life, and we consider this normal. One of the most surprising features of that video is that only 7% had secondary education.

I think an increased effort to development aid (and all this entails) should be much more important than it is now. But that doesn't mean that we should stop research advanced health care or medicine or anything, that is heaps important. We need to do three things I think; give developing countries real access to agricultural (and all) markets in the global economy. As in, stop the protection of western agricultural industries, that can't compete under truer market conditions, which is so damaging to developing nations.

Increase the levels of GDP that are directed towards the development of vital infrastructure for developing nations. This includes water, hospitals, and education of course, but also I think, should mean slight shift of our aid and charity focus away from our own countries. I don't mean this completely, but its just that we seem very willing to aid the people like the victims of bushfires when if we direct some of this attention to the third world much progress could be made.

And the third is approaching issues of corruption and the status of women. Though I don't know how this is done.

But lol, to answer your question, yes. We shouldn't be completely focused on our health. But this is not new, this has happened for a long time and won't change. I'm also wary of all those awareness campaigns that highlight the extreme situation of the developing world (Make Poverty History). Not that it isn't so important for us to know, but things like this don't actually do anything but make people think that their awareness of the issue and a wristband actually does anything at all.

 

[SylviaB]

the thing is, this sort of ground-breaking research typically isn't government funded

it's usually private institutions who make investments, because they are seeking a return in the long run


and that video is dumb in so many ways

 

[FabricLive]

That video is fucking retarded

 

[HumanDichotomy]

the thing is, this sort of ground-breaking research typically isn't government funded

it's usually private institutions who make investments, because they are seeking a return in the long run


and that video is dumb in so many ways

Does it matter that it's privately run? The companies could invest in other things, such as assisting developing countries, although you're right about the returns thing. In the short term, it's definitely not in the companies' interest, but in the long term, it'd be more beneficial to invest in the developing countries.

Also, what do you think is wrong with the video?

 

[Ancly]

maybe assisting developing companies doesnt return a very big profit for private companies lol fuck


WHY is there such a big problem with people having higher standards of living than others.

 

[FabricLive]

Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is Another Way for Africa (Paperback) By (author) Dambisa Moyo ISBN 13: 9780141031187 at The Book Depository

 

[FabricLive]

We can't invest into developing countries due to government regulation - import quotas/tarrifs etc.

Africa is fucked because we've turned it into a glorified welfare state and then refused to trade with them.

 

[FabricLive]

We can't invest into developing countries due to government regulation - import quotas/tarrifs etc.

Africa is fucked because we've turned it into a glorified welfare state and then refused to trade with them.

 

[Slidey]

the thing is, this sort of ground-breaking research typically isn't government funded

it's usually private institutions who make investments, because they are seeking a return in the long run


and that video is dumb in so many ways

I like how as a Libertarian you're not only against government intervention but also against encouraging moral or charitable private industry. Even though the two are completely unrelated.

Dickhead.

 

[Planck]

I posted a legitimate reason against outright aid to the third world but

~whatever~ Neil

 

[HumanDichotomy]

WHY is there such a big problem with people having higher standards of living than others.

There's not a problem with higher standards of living per se, it's just that the gap is *so* huge.

 

[Planck]

There's not a problem with higher standards of living per se, it's just that the gap is *so* huge.

The fault of which is entirely down to governments being centrelink for Africa on the one hand whilst refusing to support nascent industry or trade with Africa.

This is not something that aid can fix. Aid cannot fix these problems.

 

[kelly tully]

This is a sort-of off-topic question. I would like to donate to the efforts to help in Haiti but I don't want ANY of my money going towards vaccines so that red cross and Unicef are out. Does anyone know of an organisation doing work on the ground there helping without vaccines? I want to provide food, clean water, education, housing - but not drugs (and I'm sure there are others here who want to do the same)

 

[SylviaB]

I like how as a Libertarian you're not only against government intervention but also against encouraging moral or charitable private industry. Even though the two are completely unrelated.

Dickhead.

No you dickhead, I'm not saying that at all (though dan has pointed out the problems with aid etc etc)


I'm saying that we can't just decide "Oh well we're medically advanced enough so let's stop spending money on medical research and start using this money to help poor Africans" as if the government could decide this, when the money involved in research is actually owned by private companies.

ffs

 

[Slidey]

I posted a legitimate reason against outright aid to the third world but

Where?

 

[Planck]

Read the dead aid link I was using that account on account of being b7