Unaffordable Health Care and Its Impact on Human Dignity and Common Good

This opinion editorial discusses the impact of unaffordable healthcare on human dignity and the common good, in reference to Catholic Social Teachings. It suggests ways to ensure human dignity and provide common good in the healthcare sector.

Running head: UNAFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
Unaffordable health care
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In many societies in the world, members of the community have turned away from God’s
teachings. They do not carry out the way God’s instructions requires everyone to behave. I am
currently studying nursing at the university. However, in future as a nurse, it is possible to see
people facing a challenge of unaffordable healthcare.
Consequently, when considering the Catholic Social Teachings, the challenge of unaffordable
health care is against human dignity and the common good in reference to Casey, (2017). In the
teachings, it aims at activities that benefit everyone in society. If people cannot afford healthcare,
it means that many people will suffer and die despite being unique to God’s creatures. Fellow
human beings are the once making life others hand to the extent of being unable to afford health
care that means that there is no human dignity in the society. In this opinion editorial, it is going
to elaborate on unaffordable healthcare about human dignity and the common good.
Human dignity refers to the respect and integrity one possesses by the fact he is a human being
according to Carson & Flood, (2017). From the Catholic Social Teachings, human beings are the
unique creatures from God. God created everyone in His image and likeness. From that
reasoning, it means that everyone should have some sense of respect to others. Considering the
issue of unaffordable health, it is against human dignity. Some people have done things wrong
that is why others cannot afford the health. For example, the people who are concerned with
supplying of the medical resources have delayed, or they have misused the funds meant for the
provision of health facilities. When people abuse the funds intended for healthcare, it shows they
have not thought about human dignity that the Catholic Teachings elaborate. It is essential to
bring the sense of the pride back in the society. As an upcoming nurse, there are various ways I
can ensure human dignity in the future place of work. The first important thing is to create
awareness to the colleague on the importance of providing human dignity in the field of health.

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Some circumstances may be severe, and when it reaches such places, it is vital to give personal
assistance. As a nurse, I can provide medical services to other people even without payment to
show dignity to human beings in reference to Tablan, (2015). Apart from that, it necessary to
lead by an example, you first emphasize on human dignity in the workplace the others would
follow in the footsteps.
From the Catholic Social Teachings, common good refers to action or materials that benefit all
in the society according to Sison, Ferrero & Guitián, (2016). God instructed human beings to
assist each other to help everyone in the community. Consequently, the principles of Catholic
Teachings, it emphasizes benefiting every and mostly the community institutions. When it comes
to unaffordable health care, it does not help every person. For example, consider a situation
whereby the price of medicines has risen in community hospitals. The less fortunate in the
society would not access quality health, they would revert to other forms of treatment that do not
give a solution to the situation. However, the rich people would buy the drugs comfortably and
move on with life. In this way, members of society have not thought about a great universal
principle. In addressing the matter of common good based on unaffordable healthcare, the
concerned persons lie the government should build hospitals in every location in the society. The
public health centers would mean that everyone is at a position to access treatment. Secondly, the
authority should ensure that there are necessary resources in the hospitals for example nurses,
drugs, beds, and other facilities in reference to Buxbaum, Cohen & Fendrick, (2018). Apart from
that, the issues of unaffordable health e a national problem. In every government, they should
discuss how to improve the situation based on the things that are demanding at that particular
time. When the government implements the above strategies, it would have addressed common
good and ensure everyone is feeling a sense of value in the society. Apart from the above

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approaches, the other ways to provide common good in health include supporting universal
health and planning for the community.
Human dignity and the common good are the fundamental principles of Catholic teachings.
However, in the context of unaffordable health care, the concerned people need of the principles
to ensure benefit to everyone in the community. As the nursing department, the teachers should
teach the students on the importance of upholding human dignity and providing common good in
workplaces as it would assist in realizing a quality generation to the community.

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References
Buxbaum, J. D., Cohen, A. J., & Fendrick, A. M. (2018). Measures of the Burden of Medical
Expenses. Jama, 319(15), 1621-1621.
Carson, P. J., & Flood, A. T. (2017). Catholic social teaching and the duty to vaccinate. The
American Journal of Bioethics, 17(4), 36-43.
Casey, K. (2017). I answer with my life: Life histories of women teachers working for social
change. Routledge.
Sison, A. J. G., Ferrero, I., & Guitián, G. (2016). Human dignity and the dignity of work:
Insights from Catholic social teaching. Business Ethics Quarterly, 26(4), 503-528.
Tablan, F. (2015). Catholic social teachings: Toward a meaningful work. Journal of Business
Ethics, 128(2), 291-303.
Wears, R. L., Hollnagel, E., & Braithwaite, J. (Eds.). (2015). Resilient health care. Ashgate
Publishing, Ltd..