Bringing Healthcare to the People: a Look at Dispensaries in the Fsm

Samuel, Eugenia A.; Samo, Marcus H; Hezel, Francis X (2000-01-06). Bringing Healthcare to the People: a Look at Dispensaries in the Fsm. Micronesian Counselor (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Micronesian Seminar. pp. 1–8.

• Has attachment: File:B3FW4GKM.pdf

Abstract: ...All of the issues discussed above have, one way or the other impacted how communities today relate to their community health centers. What was once an effective community ownership system— where the community put up the land, provided the upkeep of the building, and participated in its management and operation—seems to have faded. Perhaps the main reason this is true is because people no longer have a sense of doing something for free for the benefit of everyone. Community members are now unable to find time to help health assistants maintain clean dispensaries. Though some of these people used to be very supportive of dispensaries, now they seem to have lost interest. They identify dispensaries as the property of the “government” that is rich, and needs no help. When people get angry at a public figure, they take it out on the facilities by vandalizing them, as the story in the beginning illustrates.

But if the dispensaries are truly important to us, shouldn’t we take good care of them as we do with things or people important to us? Yes, there are obstacles that need to be confronted, but there will be far greater benefits if we put the needs of our community ahead of our personal needs. These dispensaries are ours, and we, as a community, must reclaim them and take charge of them. We cannot expect dispensaries to operate efficiently and effectively if we do not take their ownership upon ourselves. Only when these pre-requisites are in place can one be confident that community investment exists. Perhaps then dispensaries will not be looked at as just another "government" thing...