There is much talk about health equity throughout the province. Health equity is not a new concept, in fact, one could say that the very system of universal health care is consistent with the notion of sustaining health equity. In Closing the Gap, a WHO report on health equity through action on the social determinants of health, the writer notes that “the development of a society, rich or poor, can be judged by the quality of its population’s health, how fairly health is distributed across the social spectrum, and the degree of protection provided from disadvantage as a result of ill-health.”
In this way health equity is a matter of social justice; an ethical issue in line with the principles of human rights that are well known and widely embraced. In fact it’s a basic principle that all people have the right to health.
If that is the case then why do we not address and provide resources for the things that support good health - safe housing, adequate income, access to food and nutrition, racism and discrimination? Why don’t we ensure that the conditions for health are in place for everyone? Why are resources, funding and research priorities not directed where the need is greatest and exclusion the most rampant? And why is there such a difference between the health of those who have and that of those who do not have? Why are the health outcomes for racialized groups so very different than the health outcomes of others? Are we to believe that this is about personal choice? Or because some are deserving and others are not? Or that the difference of an area code or unearned privilege qualifies some to have health and others not? Our response should be a resounding no! It’s a matter of social justice. It’s the about making the collective decision to move from mere words to real action. It’s about the realization of equity.
The World Health Organization says: “Inequities in health, avoidable health inequalities, arise because of the circumstances in which people grow, live, work, and age, and the systems put in place to deal with illness. The conditions in which people live and die are, in turn, shaped by political, social, and economic forces. Social and economic policies have a determining impact on whether a child can grow and develop to its full potential and live a flourishing life, or whether its life will be blighted.”
The truth is that we can affect the policies that so negatively impact people’s lives. We can change them. We can decide that they do not “fit” with the principles of fairness, human rights and social justice. We can make a difference. So then it seems the question really is …..where do you stand and what will you do?
