This compilation on international health care was created by students in Community Health classes representing more than 30 countries. They studied the subject through films, discussions and readings. This booklet includes their personal reflections. The Health Careers Club in conjuction with the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) promoted cultural awareness and sharing. Members voted to hold an international health related activity and to distribute this booklet with their additions to it.

Fall ' 93 - Spring ' 94

Afghanistan - In Afghanistan health care is free, even though the country is pretty poor. When you go to a doctor's office you pay for your visit, and you buy your medicine. The hospitals are all public or controlled by the government.

Miagul Ahmadi

Armenia - In my country the health care system is part of the government. You don't have to pay for your treatment. It is free. You can choose any medical office or any doctor you want.

Tatyana Arumova

Austria - The health care system is socialized. The U.S. administration is working on redesigning our health care system into a more socialized structure. This will hopefully enable all people to receive health care when it's needed. In Austria, all people receive government health care. This change in the USA will help therapists to receive health care benefits for themselves and their families, treat people who previously could not afford to be treated and also increase employment opportunities.

Caroline Cowan

Bolivia - In Bolivia health care is paid for by the government. This means that everyone can use health care services. Of course, health care services are limited because the government doesn't have enough money to cover the high cost of the equipment.

Ana Maria Rivera

Colombia - In my country, Colombia, health care is not provided to all as might be the case in Austria, Europe. For example, in Bogota if a person gets sick and is not covered by a Union or his job, that person has no chance to be treated or survive, because the Government does not help. If you are a middle class person you can survive only if you pay for health care yourself. The inflation in the country is so high, your chances are limited

Patricia E. Jaszy

Cuba - Health care in Cuba concerns itself with excellent care of people. Medical care is free, unlike that of the U.S. There is no such thing as having to have insurance in order to receive proper health care.

Samuel Lopez

Dominican Republic - The health care system is very different from the U.S. There are no health plans from the government . Everybody has to pay. There are public hospitals, but the patient has to pay for the prescriptions.

Maria Fabian

Ecuador - I was born in the U.S.A., but I was raised in Ecuador. The health care there is good. However, people who do not have insurance or money cannot afford to pay any medical expenses.

Yolanda Delgado

Egypt - I think we have a good health system in my country. For example, the government will pay for treatment in the hospital. Also, we have private hospitals and clinics which are not expensive in comparison to U.S.A. hospitals. In addition, we have high quality medicine, and it is not expensive.

Elsayed Khedr

England - I was born in London, England. As long as one is a citizen of the United Kingdom, health care is free. There may not be as modern facilities as the US, but you are not denied basic health care.

Sherma Smith

Europe - It doesn't matter what your financial status is, rich or poor, you will have health coverage, because there is a national health coverage system.

Giovanni Reisnello

France - I was born in France. Health care in 1970 was much different in the U.S. at that time than health care in France, and I believe that it has not changed much. Everyone has the right to receive basic health care for no fee. It is called the National Health Care. The government handles health care for rich, poor or mid-class.

Jonup Uiera

Grenada - Health care is free, or relatively very cheap on the island. It is available to everyone regardless of class or race.

Alexis John

Guatemala - In Guatemala health care is not as advanced in the technological field. This results in people not receiving up-to-date treatment or medicine.

Hector Rosales

Guyana - The health care system in my country of Guyana is by far cheaper financially compared to the cost in the United States. I believe it's cheaper because we have more general practice and not as many specialists as there are in the United States and the technology is not as advanced.

Gail Fisher

Haiti - The health care in Haiti is less accessible than in America. In America, people have a lot of possibilities to go to doctors, and they have the support of the government. For example, here we have Medicaid, Medicare, etc. In Haiti, working people have to pay on theit own. In Haiti 90% of the population doesn't go to a doctor due to the economic crisis.

Alexandra Fleurina

India - I'm from India and I feel the health care costs are extremely high in the U.S., even for very simple health care. Therefore, a person has to be insured. All Americans cannot afford insurance, and this make its difficult to see doctors. In my country, private practitioners do not charge a great price, so there is more contact and less paper work. There is no one highly sophisticated, but they are there.

Roland Sequeira

Jamaica - Health care in Jamaica, West Indies isn't the greatest. New technology in many treatments for health problems hasn't begun there yet, for example, electric temperature devices, radiation tools, medicine. Jamaica is learning many new techniques and reaching into new technology.

Tanya Brown

Korea - The health care system in Korea, which is the country where I was born, differs in many ways from the U.S. First of all, health insurance is very expensive, and not many people have health insurance. Medications are very expensive. Also, in the emergency room, if a patient comes in who had an accident and needs surgery right away, the hospital doesn't let him have the surgery until the patient is identified. Also, the patients must pay the medical bill before they get surgery or treatment.

Soojin Hyun

Mali - Health care in the USA is more developed than in my country, where there is a big shortage of medical personnel (doctors, nurses, etc). There is some care, but sometimes people cannot afford it because of financial problems. There is no provision for medical coverage for everybody, but the public health system tries, at least, to fulfill the medical goal.

Nanzanga Bougoudogo

Mexico - On a recent trip to Mexico I had the opportunity to visit areas outside of the hotel zones. Sanitation, poor sewage, and inappropriate energy sources were reasons for disease and other illnesses. Most of the people who live in these neighborhoods were unable to afford health care for their families.

Michael Dwyer

Nigeria - In Nigeria, like most of the third world countries, the government does not have enough funds to pay for public and Universal health care. The available health plan covers only government employees and well-to-do individuals. Universal health coverage is available only when it comes as our aid from other countries like Britain or United States.

Polycarp I. Ezeola

Pakistan - I come from a Third World country, namely Pakistan. We do not generally have sufficient funding towards governmental facilities, hospitals, institutions, organizations for the disabled or hospices. Much of the funding for free medical assistance is through the support of foreign missions and their affiliations with the local agencies available. Medical insurance is non-existent. All costs must be personally paid for through company medical policy plans or one may go to a government hospital which may or may not have free facilities for one's needs. Many of the larger hospitals are privately or government owned and are rather expensive. The average person would rather go to a homeopathic practitioner than resort to surgical procedures. Much of the rural medical needs would benefit from the education that USA health reforms/coverage provide for people through Medicare and Medicaid.

Michelle Thompson

Panama - Panama is a small country located in Central America. It has a very poor health care system. Many Panamanians can't afford health insurance regardless of how much they earn. The illnesses that plague Panama are AIDS, tuberculosis, cancer, etc. There are other illnesses which can be cured with modern medicine, but the medicines are very expensive. There is no need for modern medication to be so expensive.

Zurika Titus

Poland - In Poland health care is free. The Polish people have national coverage and they have the same chance to get to the hospital and doctors. However, health institutions have many problems because the money which the Polish government provides for health care is not enough to cover expenses. For example, a doctor's salary is very low.

Zofia Kazior

Puerto Rico - Health care in Puerto Rico is relatively the same as in the U.S., because Puerto Rico receives federal funds to support the health care system. Puerto Ricans enjoy a very good health care system in comparison to many other islands in the Caribbean.

Angel Gonzales

Russia - In Russia we don't have health care providers such as occupational therapists. People having disabilities such as post-traumatic problems are treated by different kinds of physicians or surgeons: for traumatic disorders- cardiovascular therapist, for mental disorders- psychiatrists.

Lenart Pecherskiy

Saudi Arabia - My husband, myself and my daughter lived in Saudi Arabia for one year. In comparison with the USA the health care system in Saudi Arabia is much more sophisticated, free of charge and absolutely available for the public. In the United States no insurance means no treatment.

Gohar Burnett

South Africa - Health care in South Africa differs from that in the U.S., because it is not always available. Although we do not have the best health care, there are places where it's much worse. There are not enough adequate facilities and enough medicine and doctors to care for the very large numbers of poor people. The U.S. health care system is failing and deteriorating. It's too costly and does not work for the very poor and the very old. Medicine costs are unaffordable. Our health care works for each separate city, not for national-health-care.

Robin Smith

Trinidad & Tobago - Health care in Trinidad and Tobaga is not as advanced as the health care in the U.S.A., but for the residents of these countries it is always there to meet their needs. It's free for all and there are no limits or restrictions to it. Never is someone turned away from receiving the health care they need.

Karen Bechles