5th January 2025
Cuban medical workers – under pressure but an example to the world
The year begins with much media speculation about the collapse in popularity of the Labour government and its leader, Keir Starmer. The economy is not showing signs of recovery. The winter fuel allowance issue is returning to haunt Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, as the cold weather kicks in. The much trumpeted review of the NHS does not report until the Spring and the reform of social care will take until 2028. Business leaders continue to use the increase in employers national insurance as an excuse not to recruit, or to resist wage increases, in spite of hefty profits going to shareholders.
Public services are struggling with the need for investment to function efficiently or, in the case of the energy sector, with the obscene profits made by companies failing to deliver an effective service to communities. The water industry is the biggest offender but others in the sector are equally guilty of milking profits from hard pressed working class families while not addressing the need for investment in modernisation.
The crisis in the NHS is a major case in point. Recent reports suggest that every acute hospital trust in England is failing to hit the target to treat 92% of patients within 18 weeks. There are 7.5 million people on the waiting list for treatment. The government did promise a £22.6 billion increase for the NHS in the last budget plus an additional £3.1 billion for capital investment. This is welcome and, with the hard work and dedication of staff in the NHS, may result in some short term improvement.
However, even these figures are a sticking plaster over a gaping wound. Britain currently spends £64.6 billion per annum on weapons of mass destruction and the military. Labour is committed to increasing that figure to £87.1 billion to meet its commitment to spending 2.5% of GDP on the military. The equipment plan alone for the Ministry of Defence over the period 2021-31equates to £238 billion plus, according to official forecasts, £117.8 billion on nuclear weapons. CND estimate that the latter figure will in fact be nearer £205 billion. (see The Fight for Peace and Disarmament by Gary Lefley – Socialist Correspondent Issue 53 Winter 2024)
The obscene spend on the military is argued for by the ruling class, with Labour support, as being necessary for defence but in fact just makes Britain a potential target. Given the craven support of the British ruling class for US wars of intervention across the world, including the Ukraine and Israeli genocide in the Middle East, and the backing given to US sabre rattling over China, this danger is likely to increase.
Meanwhile, ambulances are queued outside of hospitals waiting to register patients, who cannot be admitted because beds are occupied by people without any social care arrangements, and emergency calls suffer as a consequence. It is a vicious circle and one which will undoubtedly impact disproportionately upon working class communities.
If Starmer and the Labour government want to increase their popularity, shifting the balance of resources from weapons of mass destruction to investment in health, social care and education would be a progressive step. Shifting the emphasis in both foreign and domestic policy onto improving the lives of working class communities, rather than put them under threat would be a huge leap forward.
At present the health service, in spite of the emphasis upon community health, aimed at preventing hospital admissions and promoting healthier lifestyles, cannot cope with the needs it has to address at the acute end of the healthcare spectrum. Any additional resources inevitably go into trying to prop up the needs of the most vulnerable and little is left for prevention work.
In a socialist system this would be different. This is not theory, there is a practical example in the form of Cuba. In spite of the 60 year long illegal economic blockade, imposed by the United States, the Cuban healthcare system is an example to the world in terms of its approach. Community based care and access to local medical centres are key but struggle because of the lack of resources due to the US blockade. The Cuba Vive Medical Aid Appeal is currently crying out for sutures, syringes, catheters, antibiotics, butterfly needles and paracetamol. These are just a few of the items on the list of needs for Cuban hospitals and polyclinics. https://www.cubavive.org.uk/donate/
The resources available in Britain however means that there is no excuse not to invest and properly resource the NHS, as well as the social care system. It is an act of state negligence not to do so. Labour would do well to look less towards supporting the imperial ambitions of the United States and more towards the needs of working class communities in Britain. That would be popular in every sense.
Avanti Populo 