The Baby’s Coming. But the Hospital Is 100 Miles Away.
The article describes the distress in the southeastern corner of Missouri,but could really be Anywhere...Specifically the article concerns people whose nearest obstetric facility is 50-100 miles away and they are about to give birth. Two heart-rending snippets from the article
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Originally Posted by New York Times
The only obstetrician in Kennett had operated his practice out of the hospital, and he began discharging patients and winding down services in the weeks before Twin Rivers closed. Women said his waiting room became a scene of sadness and confusion as they worried about where they would go next and how they would afford gas for weekly visits at distant hospitals when they barely had enough money to pay electric bills and rent.
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Originally Posted by New York Times
Ms. Abernathy said she was eager to bring the twins home and to get back to her $8.50-an-hour job as a home health aide. There is rent to make, baby clothes to purchase, $80 of gas to buy for the coming week.
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The million-dollar question is: How are people going to afford a proper raising for a baby if they can barely afford gas for a 50-mile drive to hospital?
Even that drive,a 100-mile round trip,involves say,five gallons or about $15.00.
Bringing a child into the world knowing that the child will in 90% of the cases be deprived of proper security,nutrition,education and opportunity is WRONG. How can it be argued otherwise?
This is an issue about responsible decision-making as well as about health care.