The Humanity of Modern Medicine

Modern medicine is arranged in such a way that its humanity depends not so much on the Hippocratic Oath, but on the state, the insurance system, and the cultural characteristics of the country. Formally, doctors around the world take an oath to help the sick and not cause harm, but in practice everything comes down to how much the system gives them the opportunity and resources to show compassion. A doctor may be a saint three times over, but if his salary is miserable, the equipment is broken, and it’s forbidden to admit a patient without insurance - then humanity turns into a luxury. And against this background, it is easy to see where the Hippocratic Oath still works in some form, and where it is simply trampled on.

Take the European Union. There, medicine in most countries is tied to state funds. In Germany, France, the Netherlands, or Spain, basic care is available to everyone, and no one will be left to die on the street. Doctors are obliged to provide emergency care even if the person is a tourist or an illegal immigrant. Yes, the bureaucracy is crazy, the queues can be long, but the general level of humanity is high: they will save you first, and then sort out who pays what. The insurance system exists there, but even without it, a person will still receive first aid. In France or Spain, cases where migrants are treated free of charge are the norm. But when it comes to planned operations, insurance or residency status decides everything: you might wait for months for your turn, while a wealthy person will go to a private clinic immediately. So equality exists only at the level of “don’t let someone die right now.”

In Ukraine the situation is ambiguous. On the one hand, since 2018 medicine is officially free on the principle of “money follows the patient.” In emergencies, a doctor is obliged to help and often really does, even if the person has no money. But in practice, corruption and chronic underfunding take their toll. Doctors lack proper salaries, patients often have to buy medicines themselves, and without a “thank-you gift” or a connection, you might not get the operation you need. Nevertheless, compared to many other countries, especially russia, Ukraine has preserved a spirit of humanity - doctors really do try to help, especially during the war, where they pull people out of such hellish situations that no insurance system could cope. And this despite the fact that the system is exhausted, but the moral backbone is strong.

Russia, on the other hand, is just the bottom. Formally, medicine is free there, and under the “mandatory insurance policy” everyone should be treated. In reality, the system is broken, corruption rampant, staff rude, and compassion absent. Patients lie for hours in corridors, are kicked from doctor to doctor, equipment is ancient, and people are treated like garbage. If you have no money, they will treat you “half-assed.” The Hippocratic Oath there is an empty sound, because a doctor earning pennies and working to exhaustion has no motivation to be humane. A person without connections or money can easily be left without proper care, and there are countless cases of patients simply dying in waiting rooms. Russia is an example of how a system completely destroys any remnants of medical humanity.

Now China. The system there works strictly through insurance policies, and without them it is practically impossible to get treatment in a proper hospital. Emergency help is given, but after that they may just ignore you until you pay. Doctors work a lot, but medicine there is conveyor-belt style: huge queues, insane workload, and rather cold attitudes toward patients. Humanity in the classical sense gives way to pragmatism - the system is huge, the population enormous, and an individual approach is simply impossible. Money decides everything: the rich are treated well, the poor may die if they lack insurance or relatives willing to sell everything for an operation.

In Israel, the healthcare system is more or less balanced. There is mandatory health insurance, without which treatment is impossible, but every citizen has it, and the state covers the basic package. Emergency help is given to anyone, even tourists. Israelis are genuinely proud that their medicine is among the best and quite humane. Yes, there are queues and overloads, but doctors often try to help as much as possible. At the same time, if you lack citizenship, healthcare costs an enormous amount of money. Compassion there is limited by law and insurance: if you’re part of the system, you’ll be saved and treated at a high level; if not, prepare to pay tens of thousands of dollars.

In Arab countries, the situation is very different. In the rich Gulf monarchies, medicine is often free for citizens and at the highest level, but for migrants and guest workers - the harshest discrimination. In Saudi Arabia or the UAE, a citizen gets the best of everything, while a poor worker from Asia may die without proper care if he lacks insurance and money. In poorer Arab countries like Yemen or Syria, medicine is in catastrophic condition, and humanity is meaningless: there is war, devastation, and survival is pure luck. In Jordan or Egypt, medicine is more accessible, but still heavily dependent on whether you have money.

Now an important point - medical insurance. In today’s world it has become something like a pass to life. In EU countries and Israel, without insurance you won’t die right on the street, but normal treatment will be either very limited or completely unavailable. In China and the USA, without insurance you are practically nobody. In the US, by the way, it’s its own horror: emergency help is given, but then you’ll get a bill for tens of thousands of dollars, and if you can’t pay, you’ll be a debtor for life. Humanity exists there in some individual doctors, but the system is absolutely inhumane. In Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries, the situation is a little softer - at least basic “don’t let them die” care is provided, even if you have nothing. In russia, it turns into farce - formally free, but in practice you still have to slip money into your medical card.

In fact, the humanity of medicine directly depends on whether the system is built for people or for money. In some places, doctors and the state really uphold the standard, as in Europe or Israel. In some places everything depends on money and insurance, as in the USA and China. In some places it’s complete hell, like in russia, where the very concept of humanity is trampled. And in some places humanity survives purely on the enthusiasm of doctors, as in Ukraine. And yes, without medical insurance in today’s world a person often really ends up in the position of “die on the street.”

• Image Source: AI generation - sora.chatgpt.com