We may not have "National Healthcare" here in America but at least we try to take care of our own?

Question

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A South African man shot three weeks ago was told to "walk the pain off" and is still trying to persuade hospitals to remove the bullet lodged in his side, a newspaper said Thursday.

Three Johannesburg hospitals refused to remove the bullet for security guard Phillip Mashiane, 38, who was shot during a burglary at the property of South Africa's ambassador to the United Nations, the Star newspaper said.

The bullet passed through his elbow and entered his body just above the hip, missed his vital organs and stopped beneath the skin on the opposite side of his body, the Star said.

Mashiane told the paper he was turned away by one private hospital because he could not afford the bills while a public hospital took X-rays and kept him in for observation before patching him up and sending him home with painkillers.
When he returned a doctor told him to "walk the pain off."

Doctors at a third hospital said it could not remove the bullet because Mashiane had started treatment elsewhere.

"I want my life back. I need to work and all I ask is for them to help me," Mashiane told The Star.

South Africa is battling some of the highest rates of violent crime in the world, and its underfunded public hospitals struggle to treat all those who need healthcare.

Answer 1

I wish I could say that all doctors in the U.S. did take care of everyone. The comment from the last poster is one example of a number of doctors who are more concerned about money than the needs of their patients.

My mom tried to find a new primary care physician not too long ago and when he found out one of her problems was Diabetes he saw that she couldn't handle any of the medications in the treatment protocol for Type 2 Diabetes other than insulin (she has to be on that because of how long she's had the diagnosis). His answer back to us was that all medications have side effects. Yes, that is true but if someone can't handle the side effects they shouldn't be forced to stay on the medications knowing that the side effects will make them suffer continuously.

Answer 2

We do?? Well, sometimes.... I was once turned away from a pediatrician and told not to come back beacuse I paid their bill three weeks late. They would no longer see my son. Of course, they didn't tell me that until the day I took him in with a high fever. I found a new one that very day who I remained with until my son was 16. They were more interested in health than money. (hurray!)

Answer 3

I guess you don´t watch the news very often. U.S.A. has a pretty cruel way of treating people who don´t have economic possibilities for an insurance or a private hospital.

Violence in the U.S. is very high, kids carry guns and school shootings are "in".

Let´s not idolize countries....