WHOs new initiative

I am concerned at the thinking of the WHO which is reported in The Eco Times, Mumbai, Mon. 22nd Nov 2010 under the heading: LEVY ON FOREX TRADE COULD FUND HEALTH SCHEMES IN INDIA ... from Geneva. (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/Levy-on-forex-trade-could-fund-health-schemes-in-India-WHO/articleshow/6971225.cms) A similar report also appears in The ToI, Mumbai.

Basically the report brings out the growing poor health care, rising costs for the same all across the world and the push to poverty for many households due to uncontrollable medicare costs. The solution for India is offered by way of a tax on Forex Trading in India. It is admitted that health care facilities are poor in India and a large population has negligible reach for Primary Health Centres. Further the awareness for hygiene and basic health care which should have been passed down by the senior family members and schooling, has been destroyed in the past century. The current Government is addressing this lacuna with greatly increased social spending as never before. Substantial improved results will come with the end of the 12th Plan in 2017.

It is shocking that a global organization should think of cross-subsidy as a means of achieving a limitless aim. This could be stretched to all kinds of other spending, all over the world. Would they suggest this for USA where this same issue has been dominating the past three Governments? WHO is right in suggesting that efficient spending, reducing misuse of medicines could be used to control costs of medicare. This should have been the only focus of their attention instead of an after thought.

It is accepted today that the human body and mind tend to find natural equilibrium in good health. This applies for all living organisms, that is why they multiply as has been the humans to over six billion today. Evolution and Nature have taken care of this naturally. Natural remedies are low cost and more effective. The current living habits all over the world are shifting towards 'processed foods' and sedentary work, with their attendant problems. The health issues actually needing special-intervention are few. The focus therefore should be on means to reach and maintain health equilibrium thru proper life styles and intelligent living standards, instead of spending billions on useless pharma research to find means to fight infection. Almost every medication 'invented' in the past one hundred years had to be abandoned due to 'side effects' and 'unintended consequences'. This fact should have enlightened WHO to think innovatively ... instead we find they are thinking like any 'bean counter' or tax authority ... finding new means of taxing the citizens or corporates.

I humbly suggest that WHO focus on educating the world citizens on finding health equilibrium instead of spending on expensive medications to fight infection. They could focus on natural remedies as are used by all living organisms. If taxing is their new forte, they could think of 'taxing' the pharmas who have minted billions thru 'so called research and patenting' and also taxing the medical profession whose living standards are many times that of any national average per capita income. I am sure billions would be realised which could be used for treatments where natural health equilibrium is not possible. This would avoid cross-subsidy totally and turn humanity back to better living standards.