Not the FIRST, but the LAST!

David --

I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical -- and I need your help.
Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you.

Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.
The heart of my plan is simple: bring stability and security to Americans who already have health insurance, guarantee affordable coverage for those who don't, and rein in the cost of health care.

Tonight, I offered a specific plan for how to make it happen. I incorporated the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to create a plan that's bold, practical, and represents the broad consensus of the American people.

We've come closer to real health reform in the last few months than we have in the last 60 years. But those who profit from the status quo -- and those who put partisan advantage above all else -- will fight us every inch of the way.

We do not seek that fight, but we will not shrink from it. The stakes are too high to let scare tactics cloud the debate, or to allow partisan bickering to block the path. Your voice, right now, is essential.

See my full plan and call on your representatives to support it:
http://my.barackobama.com/SupportReform
Ours is not the first generation to understand the dire need for health reform. And I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

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Not the FIRST, but the LAST!

David --

I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical -- and I need your help.
Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you.

Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.
The heart of my plan is simple: bring stability and security to Americans who already have health insurance, guarantee affordable coverage for those who don't, and rein in the cost of health care.

Tonight, I offered a specific plan for how to make it happen. I incorporated the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to create a plan that's bold, practical, and represents the broad consensus of the American people.

We've come closer to real health reform in the last few months than we have in the last 60 years. But those who profit from the status quo -- and those who put partisan advantage above all else -- will fight us every inch of the way.

We do not seek that fight, but we will not shrink from it. The stakes are too high to let scare tactics cloud the debate, or to allow partisan bickering to block the path. Your voice, right now, is essential.

See my full plan and call on your representatives to support it:
http://my.barackobama.com/SupportReform
Ours is not the first generation to understand the dire need for health reform. And I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

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Not the FIRST, but the LAST!

David --

I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical -- and I need your help.
Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you.

Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.
The heart of my plan is simple: bring stability and security to Americans who already have health insurance, guarantee affordable coverage for those who don't, and rein in the cost of health care.

Tonight, I offered a specific plan for how to make it happen. I incorporated the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to create a plan that's bold, practical, and represents the broad consensus of the American people.

We've come closer to real health reform in the last few months than we have in the last 60 years. But those who profit from the status quo -- and those who put partisan advantage above all else -- will fight us every inch of the way.

We do not seek that fight, but we will not shrink from it. The stakes are too high to let scare tactics cloud the debate, or to allow partisan bickering to block the path. Your voice, right now, is essential.

See my full plan and call on your representatives to support it:
http://my.barackobama.com/SupportReform
Ours is not the first generation to understand the dire need for health reform. And I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

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Papua New Guinea's Health secretary must wake up

Can the Health secretary tell the people of Papua New Guinea why the Government is incapable of providing doctors for the rural people? Is he aware that every morning, when he sits in comfort in his office, mothers and babies are dying in remote, isolated and rural parts of the country? At the recent medical symposium, he emphasised on innovation and transformation to address health problems in PNG. But has he been innovative and transformative?

A man carrying medical equipment bounded from Menyama, Morobe Province provided by AusAid

When the former Health minister Sir Peter Barter announced his plan to bring in Cuban doctors to serve in the rural communities to address this problem, academics, policy advisers, Government bureaucrats, prominent intellects, research institutions and critics jumped up and down to protest against this proposal.

Their main reason was that it would undermine our own health system and principally, our hard working local doctors who are under resourced, overstretched and lowly paid.This is true for doctors serving in public hospitals and health centres because they are the ones directly serving the public.

Like everyone else, doctors need good schools for their children, security, good accommodation, banking facilities and other services for their families to settle down and provide their services to the public.However, in most rural and isolated areas, we do not have such facilities, something our politicians have a lot to explain.

In fact, it is impossible to lure any doctor or specialist to rural areas. Regrettably, no health secretary has come up with a plan that is simple, straight, practical and innovative to address this issue. While secretaries come and go, it has become apparent that they are always burying themselves in policy and planning business at Waigani while the people in rural and remote areas continue to suffer and die.

The current secretary is making frequent press statements on this and that but the fundamental issue remains unaddressed. We must never forget that these are fellow Papua New Guineans who deserved to be treated equally like anyone of us living in the urban centres.

We urge the Health secretary and the National Planning Department to tell us how they plan to resolve this problem. Otherwise, step aside and make way for capable people to address this problem. For video footage of some of the worse medical situations affecting millions of people in Papua New Guinea, click here.

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Papua New Guinea's Health secretary must wake up

Can the Health secretary tell the people of Papua New Guinea why the Government is incapable of providing doctors for the rural people? Is he aware that every morning, when he sits in comfort in his office, mothers and babies are dying in remote, isolated and rural parts of the country? At the recent medical symposium, he emphasised on innovation and transformation to address health problems in PNG. But has he been innovative and transformative?

A man carrying medical equipment bounded from Menyama, Morobe Province provided by AusAid

When the former Health minister Sir Peter Barter announced his plan to bring in Cuban doctors to serve in the rural communities to address this problem, academics, policy advisers, Government bureaucrats, prominent intellects, research institutions and critics jumped up and down to protest against this proposal.

Their main reason was that it would undermine our own health system and principally, our hard working local doctors who are under resourced, overstretched and lowly paid.This is true for doctors serving in public hospitals and health centres because they are the ones directly serving the public.

Like everyone else, doctors need good schools for their children, security, good accommodation, banking facilities and other services for their families to settle down and provide their services to the public.However, in most rural and isolated areas, we do not have such facilities, something our politicians have a lot to explain.

In fact, it is impossible to lure any doctor or specialist to rural areas. Regrettably, no health secretary has come up with a plan that is simple, straight, practical and innovative to address this issue. While secretaries come and go, it has become apparent that they are always burying themselves in policy and planning business at Waigani while the people in rural and remote areas continue to suffer and die.

The current secretary is making frequent press statements on this and that but the fundamental issue remains unaddressed. We must never forget that these are fellow Papua New Guineans who deserved to be treated equally like anyone of us living in the urban centres.

We urge the Health secretary and the National Planning Department to tell us how they plan to resolve this problem. Otherwise, step aside and make way for capable people to address this problem. For video footage of some of the worse medical situations affecting millions of people in Papua New Guinea, click here.

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Papua New Guinea's Health secretary must wake up

Can the Health secretary tell the people of Papua New Guinea why the Government is incapable of providing doctors for the rural people? Is he aware that every morning, when he sits in comfort in his office, mothers and babies are dying in remote, isolated and rural parts of the country? At the recent medical symposium, he emphasised on innovation and transformation to address health problems in PNG. But has he been innovative and transformative?

A man carrying medical equipment bounded from Menyama, Morobe Province provided by AusAid

When the former Health minister Sir Peter Barter announced his plan to bring in Cuban doctors to serve in the rural communities to address this problem, academics, policy advisers, Government bureaucrats, prominent intellects, research institutions and critics jumped up and down to protest against this proposal.

Their main reason was that it would undermine our own health system and principally, our hard working local doctors who are under resourced, overstretched and lowly paid.This is true for doctors serving in public hospitals and health centres because they are the ones directly serving the public.

Like everyone else, doctors need good schools for their children, security, good accommodation, banking facilities and other services for their families to settle down and provide their services to the public.However, in most rural and isolated areas, we do not have such facilities, something our politicians have a lot to explain.

In fact, it is impossible to lure any doctor or specialist to rural areas. Regrettably, no health secretary has come up with a plan that is simple, straight, practical and innovative to address this issue. While secretaries come and go, it has become apparent that they are always burying themselves in policy and planning business at Waigani while the people in rural and remote areas continue to suffer and die.

The current secretary is making frequent press statements on this and that but the fundamental issue remains unaddressed. We must never forget that these are fellow Papua New Guineans who deserved to be treated equally like anyone of us living in the urban centres.

We urge the Health secretary and the National Planning Department to tell us how they plan to resolve this problem. Otherwise, step aside and make way for capable people to address this problem. For video footage of some of the worse medical situations affecting millions of people in Papua New Guinea, click here.

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