3 Ways to Solve Healthcare Inequities

Ethan, Class of 2021

In America, the word healthcare means different things to different people based on the color of their skin. Black people are sometimes treated differently when they’re in the hospital than their White counterparts. Even today, there still is the  false belief that medication effects Black people differently and Black people have some kind of superhuman tolerance for pain.  

Removing the statue of racist ,J. Marion Sims, who performed experimental gynecological surgeries for years on enslaved Black women without anesthesia, has not removed racism in health care.   Medical staff didn’t believe Serena Williams was in pain and she nearly died. We, as  Black people, are oppressed in the medical field and mistreated by doctors and doesn’t matter how much money we have.

There are many racial healthcare discrepancies in the medical field that somehow don’t add up to democracy.  In the U.S., Black mothers have three times more of a chance to die of pregnancy related issues than the average White woman. This is very sad.  I want to know why Black women are getting different care and what is being done?   Another discrepancy, in 2018, White Americans were 60% of the U.S. population, but only 26% of  White men were new AIDs patients.  Black Americans were 13% of the population, but Black men were majority of new Aids cases in the U.S.  The reasons for this were lack of support in Black communities and miseducation.

Now that we have talked about racism in health care, I want to propose a few solutions on how we can try solving this. My first solution is to  check the backgrounds of some of  doctors who are not Black. If there have been racial discrimination complaints, they cannot be hired.  Second, there should be questions on the medical exams that test racism.  Third, is to educate Black people in their churches, schools, and barbershops about health care.  The biggest solution is  free science programs for kids in rural and urban Black communities taught by people who look like me.  Help Black people become doctors and researchers.

The other thing I’d like to speak about is the lack of access to doctors, pharmacies, fresh food, and gyms for Black people.  In the U.S  quality of care and access to medication  and healthy food depends upon income.  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator.” 

I want to voice my solution to a health care issue that not only impacts Black  people.  COVID19 vaccines are free. The cost of healthcare in the USA is very high and many Black, White, Asian, Indigenous and LatinX people cannot afford healthcare.  All citizens of the United States should have access to the best health care.

The first solution is lower the cost of medications and prescriptions. The next solution is everyone should  have excellent health insurance. This last solution is already being done in other countries that have free healthcare. Truly there should be no disparities in health care because United States has the second highest number of billionaires.  The question is why does the United States have inequities in health and why are they worse for Blacks?

Lastly before I wrap up, all the things I’ve talked about have been happening for decades and people have been advocating for racial justice for decades. But, politicians haven’t been truly taking us seriously.  In my eyes, those of us who are concerned about inequities in healthcare must work together for the good of all, particularly for Black and Indigenous People.  We can never stop!  I believe after all our attempts the health care system in the United States will  provide the best care to all and will not discriminate.