Have you ever wondered what happens when two professions come together? How does the outcome appear as a result of their combined efforts?
Healthcare is one of the vital industries of any country, and it signifies the development of the nation. On the other hand, public health workers ensure that all the other miseries of society get curtailed or vanish for good. The healthcare sector is growing exponentially, as the advancement in technology and new research keeps bringing new fields to the forefront.
The alarming increase in the population has also put a burden on the medical industry and has raised the need for medical staff and public health workers. Besides, illnesses are rampant, and people now need medical services more often. Healthcare is a vast sector, which encompasses numerous subfields, and be it any department, the motive of all healthcare professionals is to provide healthcare facilities to people.
Public health workers deal with the provision of social rights for all, especially minorities. Social justice is an essential aspect of society and a community that does not ensure justice is not a civilized society. Injustice happens all over the world, and some people get subjected to unfair treatments. Sometimes they raise their voice for the unjustness, but they do not even realize that they deserve better and powerful people keep them away from their rights. Injustice happening under racism is very common, and despite people holding rallies and protesting for their rights, it continues to occur.
When it comes to social issues, healthcare faces innumerable social challenges on workers and patients’ end. These challenges often make medical operations an immense difficulty as healthcare workers find themselves unable to cope.
Some prevailing social challenges in healthcare settings are as follows:
1. SOCIAL INJUSTICE
Healthcare workers all around the world encounter social injustice in a variety of settings. For instance, a skilled, talented black candidate would not get a job, while, due to white supremacy, a mediocre degree holder receives the designation. Sometimes a patient is kept on the waiting list for organ donation or other healthcare services, but some other patient takes the slot because of his contacts. Apart from these issues, social injustice in healthcare is a significant concern, as it makes it difficult for healthcare professionals to deal with patients professionally. Public health professionals have raised the matter on various platforms to attain minority rights and social justice in 2020.
2. WOMEN’S RIGHTS
Equality all over the world is necessary to prevail. Unjust provision of rights and opportunities creates an imbalance environment where development gets hindered. Every year millions of women hit the streets to demand their due share in the state matters. Let’s say job vacancies when published on paper or electronically restricts the eligibility for females to apply for healthcare jobs—thereby creating further issues for patient care and overall organizational development.
3. OBESITY/ANOREXIA
For holistic well-being, physical fitness is crucial. Media highlights lean women, which has vastly promoted the idea of going to extremes to achieve that body. Anorexia has become a severe issue in today’s world, and medical professionals are having a hard time changing people’s mindset. On the other hand, a plethora of people are gaining weight. Excess use of gadgets has limited physical activities, and hectic routine has made it challenging for people to indulge in workout sessions. Consequently, they spend their days confined in enclosed rooms and end up gaining weight. The media needs to play its part and raise awareness about the significance of fitness and following a healthy lifestyle to maintain a healthy body.
4. WORTH OF WEALTH
The cost of living is hiking up at the speed of light, and healthcare is getting exorbitant. Many people are on daily medication, and several have to pay a monthly visit to the doctors, which they no longer can afford. Moreover, numerous governments do not provide any succession to older adults; thus, the retired, prone to illnesses, face difficulties maintaining their well-being. Public demands quality healthcare service in nominal fees or free of cost, and consider the high-priced medical treatment an injustice towards them.
5. INVASION OF PRIVACY
Among various other social issues that the healthcare sector faces, keeping patients’ data secure is crucial. Due to the digital transformation, many medical facilities keep patients’ records digitally, accessible to all departments of the organization with one code. Cybercriminals look for the weak link and descend on the hospitals’ systems to use sensitive data for their crimes. When there is a security breach, they feel offended and consider it social injustice as it is an invasion of their privacy.
CONCLUSION
The world is not a fair place; while several people lead a comfortable life, many have to fight for their fundamental rights. An alarming increase in the number of people who live below the poverty line does not have access to medical facilities. Healthcare is crucial for a country’s development, and social injustice in medical settings can put someone on a deathbed. Due to some courageous people, many governments have come into action and passed bills to ensure that people get treated fairly. Justice should be the primary concern in every field, but it should be the core value to provide better healthcare services when it comes to healthcare.
