Poverty is the greatest Disease!

In the story of "Akahige", a Japanese story directed by Akira Kurosawa in 1965 featured a charitable hospital and the various kinds of patients whether they falls into  charity welfare or damyo (landlord). In the movie, dr. Niite was angry, he said, "Poverty is the disease!" "What is the government doing about poverty? Nothing! They were doing nothing!" Forceful remarks, yet so much truth, more than we can withhold.

Isn't that what happens now? In various country, in various government. Regardless how steep the GDP grows, how stable the GDP takes it foot on, there are always disparity between rich and poor.

Blame it on poverty, mental illness or physical illness, all are about poverty!

I remember that was once we had a discussion on a similar issue with a Chinese friend, casually taking the disparity in China as an example, when we talked about Mercury poisoning, environmental pollution... she became defensive.  "It is not our fault!" But the fact was no one was pointing the finger on anyone in that conversation. Nothing really solid was being mentioned.

There is a certain pain in her, just as an innocent child who had been exposed to many unaccepted truth,  or ugliness in her search of life, the face that she had never had a chance to see, or she had immune herself to think about, in this process, formed into such vivid images, that she had no way to hide. She could not deny it, or ignore it, so she became defensive whenever people started to talk about the issue. She became sensitive and protective.

"Why do you accused us for having a better opportunity?"
"You cannot blame us for us having a better opportunity than others! Have you thought about we also have our own problems?"
"We just cannot afford to care so much of all people!"
"These are natural selection, that some will loose and some will gain! That is the only way!"


She is a public health student.

She is not wrong either.

But yet, how should we promote public health? Who should promote public health? Does an attitude of the person who sit on this seat count?

The principles of Health Economy do not work in place of extreme poverty with stiff competitions to grow and getting out from it.

The rich and the poor; power and money, these will birth forth a new set of rules and principles. And these principles will rule, and be accepted by its own nation, social norm takes place.

When power and wealth are goals, when people became fearless, when the love in men begin to fade......

After all, health is not so important when one is in extreme poverty. Just like a believe system does not hold, when one is hungry. BUT then, we standing outside the circle, we know that is a complete lie. Without health, there is nothing that we can achieve. There might be different standards in health in various situations. Nevertheless, health is the essential thing to hold our breath together. Without health, is DEATH.

"We use health to buy wealth when we are young;
We use wealth to buy health when we are old."

This is a cycle that we need to break!