I know. So much less poetic and prose-y than the last post, but I am so excited about it. Swimming with a buddy is definitely the best way to go -2.8 km (translation = 112 lengths of a standard non-Olympic sized pool) today after class in about an hour and ten minutes. Definitely a PB. Ah, so exciting! My abs hurt though. And I chowed down a massive plate of tabouleh, shish taouk chicken, rice, hummus and garlic sauce (and a tangerine!) in like... fast.
Anyway -it has been yet another crazy week in the life of naila -crazy, but fulfilling. More community service with Project Genesis -went to my first "Delai de Carence" Action Group meeting on Wednesday evening. The DDC is basically a Quebec bi-law since 2001 that denies health care coverage for the first 3 months to immigrants, temporary workers and residents who have been out of the province for 6 months+. Only 4 provinces are crazy enough to have such a bi-law -namely, Ontario, New Brunswick and B.C. in addition to Quebec. The standard line is to get those "abusers of the system". But seriously, it's ridiculous.
Over 60,000 people are affected by this law every year, 84% of which are immigrants and temp workers who have already been cleared for good health in order to immigrate in the first place. So the law is kind of discriminatory, making these people second-class citizens. Like "welcome to Canada". Also, the "savings" are not at all proportional to the negative effects: 0.06% of the total health budget "saved", but .1% of the population suffers. As well, you know what happens when poor people get sick and have no health insurance of any kind? They don't go to the doctor. It gets worse and worse and worse, until finally they have no choice but to show up at the hospital in a royal mess of complications that ends up costing the system tons more in money and human resources. So really, where is the "savings"? And imagine if the illness acquired is an infectious disease. Public health disaster. So really, DDC = Dumb Decadent Crap.
So today I passed around the petition that a bunch of Montreal community organizations are working on together, in my med school class, and managed to get about 88 signatures. And the main reason why this is so awesome is that as future doctors, we should be the ones protesting! Doctors have a lot of power to do a lot of good and med students might as well get started early. At least it's a first step. Did you know one of the MLAs in Ontario actually admitted that they had no idea when and how the bi-law passed in Ontario? So basically this hasn't even been a subject of rigorous debate and intelligent discussion. Go figure.
I did more outreach with PG on Thursday as well which was nice, and the first Philosopher's Cafe that my Osler Society Team put together was such a hit! Also trying to work on some social outreach with the youth and the elderly in my Ismaili community so hopefully that will go well too. Almost got a ride down to Boston weekend, but I think it's better I get all this stuff done at home this weekend. Time to go for now though -don't want to be late for prayers!
hugs and kisses and much love---
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