Expert explains difference between Belarusian and Western approaches to medical care

In Belarus, people receive high-quality medical care for free regardless of their social status and financial situation, while, in the West, money plays a key role in this sphere – as noted by political expert Aleksandr Shpakovsky in his talk with Alfa Radio

As the expert recalled, citizens in the West have health insurance, but the latter fails to always cover the costs.

“Meanwhile, qualified medical care, including the most complex surgical operations, are offered free of charge in Belarus. At the same time, these services are fabulously expensive in some developed countries of the collective West. People who previously lived in the United States and in the West know perfectly well that it is undesirable to get sick there: all expenses are unlikely to be covered by a medical insurance – which is also very expensive – every time,” Mr. Shpakovsky said.

Along with this, as noted by the expert, much depends on people’s social status and financial state when it comes to health in the West. “Meanwhile, there are no such differences under the law in Belarus, although I am sympathetic to doctors who have to deal with patients that pay little attention to their health, abuse alcohol or drugs, end up in intensive care units of hospitals over and over again, and then complain that they were not treated very kindly somewhere," he added.

Mr. Shpakovsky recalled that, at the beginning of the year, there were discussions on amendments and additions to the Constitution, and free medical care was among the key points to exchange views upon. “Preservation of universal free healthcare in the country was the main and most exciting issue for our people. They are concerned about this topic, so it is among the most important ones for the domestic policy," he summed up.