Poverty Threatening Islanders Health

The Medical Officer of Health has used his annual report to highlight failings across a number of States departments to
ensure "health equity" in our Bailiwick.

Doctor Stephen Bridgman says poverty is the largest preventable cause of
ill health worldwide and he is concerned about it's impact locally.

He says poverty is threatening the health of thousands of islanders.

Less well off islanders are more likely to suffer from poor physical and
mental health.

Suggest some people need to look up the meaning of the word poverty. Or better still go to Africa or Asia and see what it really is. There is nothing remotely resembling it anywhere in Guernsey. Hardship maybe, but not poverty. Too many people in the West use the word for emotional effect.

kingcole,there are people in guernsey who have to think twice about going to a doctor as cost is getting out of hand..each visit now costs over £40 a blood test at my surgery costs £23 on top of that..a smear test £75 so yes there is health poverty in guernsey.

You think that's poverty. How would you like to have to go down to a dump on a street corner and squat down in full view to go to the toilet ? Yes there is a stinking rubbish dump on most corners.

Apart from small areas in the larger town centres, there is no electricty, gas or water in any of the homes, which are shanty built from scraps of timber and tin.

Roads are just earth tracks with no drainage. If it rains you get stuck in the mud.

As for doctors, what doctors ? In Tema ( which is where I am describing ) if you are ill you need to travel to Accra 40 miles away to see the doctors at the Mission clinic.

Life here is from 6AM to 6PM every day of the year, for the rest of the day it is pitch black unless there is a bit of moon.

What you are describing is hardship, not poverty.

who is to blame for a lot of the world poverty ..greedy politicians ..india an example is a very rich country who have in fact asked uk parliament not to send them aid but because of an agreement uk must send it.why are the rich so rich and what has happened to all the aid sent to various countries.. there is real hardship and yes poverty in guernsey..there are people living on a day to day basis.there are people who live on the streets..there are people in guernsey who once they have paid rent and utitlities have very little to live on..even some states houses are costing over £200 a week to rent and believe me not everybody in guernsey is wealthy

I agree with thistle ,there is poverty here , but nothing like in other places
i give thanks that i was born here ,
there are still a few folks living on our streets . some in the plantations by north beach for a start
many older folks will not go to docs because of the costs and many of us middle earners are the worse off as we do not get benifits but earn just over the limit by a pound or two .

Oh I give up. I am never going to get you people to understand the difference between poverty and hardship.

You are quite right Thistle in saying politicians bear a great responsiblity for poverty in the World, but we are discussing the actualy meaning of the word poverty. I wish I was rich, then I could take you down to Tema and really open your eyes.

i do know what you mean Kingcolemk as i have seen this poverty . and yes i think it is hardship .but for those who suffer it is poverty to them
When i see the work that our local girl does in these countries it makes me so glad i live here and compared to that we are rich.

i know what you mean by poverty kingcole

Islanders have been asking for help when it comes to paying for medical bills.

The Citizens Advice Bureau receives the highest amount of calls about
money problems - with many of those people worried about their health.

It comes after the annual health report highlighted around 10 thousand
people are living in poverty in Guernsey.

Thistle you are winding me up !

sorry if you think that kingcole but health poverty in guernsey is real and it is happening today

IT IS NOT POVERTY !!!!!!!!!

it is when you cant afford to go to the doctor ..of course in the uk everything is free and so you wouldnt know what it is like to be unable to find the money to go to the doctor

Please can't you accept that poverty cannot exist in a welfare state, where help of some sort is always available to everyone. If they choose to squander that help on non-essentials rather than making provision for their care, then more fool them.

You moan about the cost of your health care, but it is subsidised by the States and I am sure that no one gets turned away when in real need.

I will keep repeating again and again and again, poverty is when you have nothing and no hope.

this shows how little you know kingcole..we are talking about in a lot of cases people on low incomes and pensioners not people on benefits..i think twice about spending over £40 to see a doctor..in fact i have refused a smear test as i have other things to spend the £75 on..i dont smoke and drink very seldomly and when i do its from what i aready have in the house so not wasting my money ..the £40 is what we as a patient pays and on top of that the states pay the doctor anther £12 ..people on full supp benefit dont pay for doctors etc but if like me you get a top up and have managed to save a little over the years you get no help..doctors take people to court for non payment of bills so as you see it is just a business to them and they really dont give a stuff about people having financial difficulties .

I'm not getting through to you am I ? You may certainly be finding things difficult, but you are nowhere near to being in poverty.

I wish I could take you to Tema.

Poverty is an emotive word mis-used by the media and politicians for dramatc effect.

i understand perfectly well what poverty is kingcole..sadly there are pensioners on this island who are gonna have to choose this winter whether to heat or eat.i used me as an example as you seem to think that everybody gets loads of help well sadly they dont..i do know that in the third world
they are facing real poverty every day but that is down to the governments,no education etc etc.