Free Health Care Should Be a Priority For All the World's Governments

If public health was a priority for all the world's governments, our planet would become idyllic, but every facet of human well-being, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, would have to be addressed.

Would it be expensive? Certainly, but the goal is achievable. If governments invested in health care rather than military expenditures, education rather than bailouts for poorly-managed and failing businesses, social programs here on earth rather than space travel and exploration, there would be plenty of money to conduct necessary business plus a huge surplus for discretionary spending.

There are many areas where costs could and should be trimmed: the obscene salaries paid to professional athletes, bonuses and golden parachutes for corporate executives of dubious skill and questionable integrity, salaries and "perks" for politicians who are supposed to be public servants, but who, in effect, are living in luxury at the expense of those they're supposed to serve. However, each of these is a separate rant, so I'll return to the main topic.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

Every citizen of each country should receive free physical health care from the cradle to the grave. To do this effectively, there needs to be more resources devoted to opening and maintaining medical schools for doctors, nurses and other health care professionals

Young people should be tested in high school for their ability and suitability for these careers and if they qualify, given free tuition until their training is complete.

Scientific centers should be established and existing facilities expanded for research into the causes and cures of human illnesses. Promising young scientists in every country should be fully funded with the understanding that new discoveries will be shared with the global community.

Governments would greatly benefit from these innovations. With healthier citizens, more people would be working harder, retiring later and tax revenue would increase.

With increased emphasis on health and education, many new jobs would be created: in construction and related trades, record keeping, child care facilities as well as in the education and health care fields themselves.

MENTAL HEALTH

The emphasis on improved mental health should be pursued with the same vigor and dedication as physical health. Potential mental health problems in children should be identified and treated early. Once identified, patients should be monitored routinely to guard against relapses,

Eventually, this strategy will significantly decrease the number of homeless people and the prison populations. All citizens in every country would feel more secure in their homes and neighborhoods around the world would be safer.

For those with an incurable mental illness, sheltered residences should be established where the patients will receive caring, compassionate care. A society would be judged on how well it cared for its most vulnerable citizens.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Long or short term counseling services should be available to anyone requesting them from a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. Patients might also be referred for treatment by a family member or close friend. Sessions would continue, free of charge, until both the client and the professional agreed that they were no longer necessary.

From the official perspective, a serene, well-adjusted work force will be more productive and return more than ample tax revenues to keep the affairs of government running smoothly.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH

The basic unit of every successful society throughout history has been the family. Successful families are nurtured and supported by a government which promotes family values. These values are taught and advanced in most of the world's major religions.

Religious training and attendance at a place of worship should be encouraged and facilitated. One day a week should be allotted for spiritual practices and everyone should be guaranteed time away from work to attend a religious service of their choice.

From the government's perspective, most religions also teach that a righteous person will give a full day's work for a full day's pay. That can only be advantageous the country's economic welfare.

Public health in all of its aspects should be the top priority of every government on earth. Humanity would then be declaring a preferential option for well-being and life rather than suffering and death.

Most importantly, government officials should be the first to avail themselves of all of these complimentary health care services. If every leader were physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy, would there still be wars, poverty, revolutions and widespread government corruption on earth?

It's an intriguing subject upon which to reflect, is it not?