Those suffering from cancer, hepatitis, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, receivers of organ transplants, and many other serious illnesses can get all their needed drugs free — if they live in Venezuela.

Diario Vea (print edition) reports today, August 15, 2009, from Caracas that the Venezuelan Department of Health announced the free provision of formerly high cost imported drugs to those needing it. The announcement came at the opening of a new government owned pharmacy in Caracas which will coordinate the provision of these medications.

This is but one of many examples of what can happen when voters elect a government that puts human needs before private corporate profits. President Chavez puts Venezuela’s oil profits into services for the people. Where do the profits from U.S. oil companies go?

After amending the Venezuelan Constitution to make health care a constitutional right, the Chavez government has established thousands of free medical, dental and optical clinics throughout the country. They are used by 83 per cent of the Venezuelan population. Prior to the election of the Chavez government, millions of people in Venezuela were without access to any health care. But, even before Chavez, the numbers without access were no where near the 47 million people who are presently without health care in the United States, as Venezuela’s entire population is around 30 million. Think about those numbers. More people in the U.S., the wealthiest country in the world, are without health care than the entire population of Venezuela, where now everyone has free health care.

Treatment at the Mission Al Dentro free clinics, public hospitals, and all testing is absolutely without cost to the patient. I’ve used the free clinics and the services are excellent. Unfortunately, heretofore not all drugs have been free here. Many of the needed drugs under patent to the big drug companies and only available at very expensive prices from the United States and Europe, foreclosing many from needed help. Now these drugs will be provided free to those who need them.

Recently, President Chavez opened a government funded drug manufacturing company which will supply generic drugs to the Venezuelan population. He is also investigating amending existing laws to allow greater access to patented drugs.

In contrast, an American friend who has been living in Venezuela for many years but who carries health insurance at the request of her American children just got a notice that her insurance premiums have doubled, from $3,500 a year to $7,000 a year for a single person. Are you surprised to learn that her insurance company is an American company?

We have to take our health care system out of the control of private insurers whose business is making profits. That is their sole reason for being. Thus, these private insurers deny claims,exclude conditions and reject applicants to improve their profit statements, not their customers’ health.