UNCC100 Assignment: Human Dignity and Common Good in Healthcare

This essay delves into the concepts of human dignity and the common good within the context of healthcare, emphasizing their significance in medical practice and societal well-being. The author defines human dignity as the inherent right of individuals to fundamental freedoms and respect, crucial in medical settings to uphold the value of human life. The essay discusses the common good as actions promoting community welfare, exemplified by Australia's humanitarian efforts towards refugees. The author reflects on the importance of healthcare accessibility and the government's role in ensuring it, aligning with the principles of human dignity. The essay also highlights the impact of personal actions and commitments in the medical field, particularly against participating in national strikes, and the importance of considering global issues. The author uses references to support arguments and demonstrates an understanding of ethical considerations in healthcare practices. The essay concludes with a personal commitment to upholding human dignity and the common good in future medical practices.

Running head: HUMAN DIGNITY AND COMMON GOOD IN HEALTHCARE 1
Human Dignity and Common Good in Healthcare
Name
Institution

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Human Dignity and Common Good in Healthcare
Human dignity
Human dignity is the conventional idea that people must enjoy certain unalienable rights
and freedoms. These rights must be respected by other human beings. For instance, dignified
humans believe that life is very precious and no individual has a right to take away the life of
another, whatsoever. Massaro (2015) asserts that all humans are intelligent, rational and free and
thus, their lives should be respected. Among all the concepts guarding human life in a medical
setting, the concept of human dignity is undeniably the most vital of all. This is because the
concept reminds medical pactitioners to uphold utmost respect for human life. Preserving human
dignity is a fundamental requirement in establishing harmonious and virtuous societies (Audi,
2012). A doctor, for instance, who abides by this concept is unlikely to harm any of his patient
because he/she is directed by the supremacy of human dignity in humans. The concept of human
dignity is central in medical dialogues regarding to issues such as assisted euthnasia and
abortion.
When I heard the news about Australia's initiative to host an extra 12,000 refugees from
Syria and Iraq, I was very delighted of the nation's benevolence (Mediablog.catholic.org.au,
2019). The action meant that Australia not only aimed at improving its citizen’s welfare but also
was concerned by other countries’ people. The act of taking an extra 12,000 refugees is not only
a sign to showcase the county’s humanity but also a gesture to express the concern for humanity.
Apart from hosting these refugees, the Australian government would also provide the refugees
with proper healthcare, sanitation and food.

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For the stability and sustainability of our future societies, existing societies must
recognize the importance of common good within their day to day activities
(Mediablog.catholic.org.au, 2019).The concept of common good demands the promoting ctions
that tend to consider the well being of other members of the community. Hitherto, I believe that
it is the idea of common good thatbinds the individual members of the community to leave
harmoniously. My simple definition of this concept is ‘doing unto others what you would wish
others to do unto you'. A more refined definition of the concept is found in the
catholicsocialteachings.org.uk website which describes common good as the summation of
conditions that permit the community members to fulfill their needs efficiently (2019). By
considering the general public's welfares, we end up improving our welfares.
In his popular speech about climate change in the world, Pope Francis reminded us that to
achieve future sustainable societies, we have to consider the practising the concept of the
common good. The Holy Pope deserves to be applauded of his climate change speech. Francis
writes that he is concerned with global practices that tend to jeopardize and prejudice the concept
of the common good. Although the Pope is not an environmentalist, he did not hesistate to
pinpoint climatic change as a threat to our future sustainability. According to Grace (2013), the
Pope has also been showing concerns on issues such as capitalism, socialism, and globalization.
As medical practitioners, we are supposed emulate the Pope and be conversant with the diverse
worldwide issues and trends that may hinder the common good. Our focus should not be limited
to the issues in the medical field.
As a doctor, I am much aggrieved by the Australian government's sluggish movement
towards improving the accessibility to health care facilities for our patients Although the major
proportion of Australians can access health services, the concept of human dignity demands

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respect of the health and life of ‘everyone'. According to Kammer (2012), the government
should work to ensure that 100% of their patients can access medical care. Our government,
therefore, should not settle until every Australian can access medical care. This would be a sign
that the government respects each Australian’s dignity. The common good of the Australian
people would be realized if all Australians can access medical care.
Since I am now acquainted with relevant information about human dignity and realization
of common good, my practices and actions in the medical field will considerably change in the
future. I have already reached a decision that I will never participate in national strikes because
the events are violations of human dignity and the common good. A virtuous medic is he who
puts the common good at the forefront. Such a medic is concerned with the betterment of the
society rather than his personal well-being. I believe that the scholars can accept the sentiment
that a medic who participates in strikes deprives the patient his/her solemn right to access
medical care and thus violating his/her dignity and threatening his/her well being.

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References
Audi, R. (2012). Virtue Ethics as a Resource in Business. Business Ethics Quarterly, 22(2), 273-
291. doi: 10.5840/beq201222220
Catholicsocialteaching.org.uk (2019). Choosing the Common Good Bishops’ Conference of
England and Wales. [online] Catholicsocialteaching.org.uk. (2019). Retrieved 27
September 2019, from
http://www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Choosing-the-
Common-Good.pdf
Grace, G. (2013). Catholic social teaching should permeate the Catholic secondary school
curriculum: an agenda for reform. International Studies In Catholic Education, 5(1), 99-
109. doi: 10.1080/19422539.2012.754591
Kammer, F. (2012). The Common Good and Health Care Reform, Health Progress. Retrieved 2
October 2019, from https://www.chausa.org/docs/default-source/health-progress/the-
common-good-and-health-care-reform-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=0
Massaro, T. (2015). Living justice: Catholic social teaching in action. Rowman & Littlefield.
Mediablog.catholic.org.au (2019). For those who've come across the seas - ACBC Media Blog.
Retrieved 27 September 2019, from http://mediablog.catholic.org.au/for-those-whove-
come-across-the-seas/
Mediablog.catholic.org.au (2019). Interconnectedness a major principle of encyclical - ACBC
Media Blog. Retrieved 27 September 2019, from
http://mediablog.catholic.org.au/interconnectedness-a-major-principle-of-encyclical/

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