Article Views:
138
Ezine ready page
Ezine ready page
Posted on May 18, 2008 by Sammy Beanard | Posted under Politics
Suggestions for the Provision of Social Security in Third World Countries
|
The alternative of a social insurance service presupposes a standard of living under which a majority of the population enjoy an income, largely in cash, above the subsistence level ; an ample supply and adequate distribution of doctors already established in practice; and, so far as industrial workers are concerned, stability of employment. None of these conditions are fulfilled in the majority of Asiatic countries. A means test, on. the other hand, would appear redundant in view of the low standard of living of the majority both of the rural and of the urban population, which leaves little doubt as to their inability to pay for medical care. The need for health protection, moreover, is universal, and calls for a form of organisation embracing the whole population, and the removal of all barriers that tend to withhold care from those who need it. The wealthier classes, including more particularly employers, merchants and landowners, may be called upon to make the major contribution to the cost of the health service, not only by way of ordinary taxation but in the form of a health tax specially earmarked for medical care. They will be entitled to avail themselves of the medical care service and will actually do so once the standard has been raised to such a high level of efficiency as to make private practice and nursing facilities redundant. At the same time, all self-employed persons, whether farmers, wage earners, shopkeepers, artisans or others, whose income in kind or in cash is in excess of the subsistence level could be called upon to contribute a health tax towards the cost of a medical care service. The proceeds of this health tax world be used for the improvement and extension of a medical care service available free of charge to all residents. In addition, a prescribed part of the general revenues of central, provincial, State and local authorities, increasingly large as the national income rises, would be set aside for financing the central services, such as general hospitals, health centres for specialist treatment, and special institutions for infectious diseases, tuberculosis and mental cases, and to meet the expenses of central administration. About The Author: Sammy Beanard has researched and written about social security and other pressing issues. To see more of his writing, visit his article about social security index searches, as well as his opinions on social security number search. |
Tags: SOCIAL SECURITY, SOCIAL, SOCIETY, SOCIAL ISSUES
