Definition of Health Equity

Definition of health equity

Abstract

The health sector is required to uphold both equity and equality in health. These are ethical values that are supposed to be adhered to by any health institution regardless of anything. Health equity is solely focused on knowing the needs of the people and hence providing them with essentials to foster their healthy living. On the other hand, health equality is aimed to promoting fairness and justice for instance when it comes to immunization processes no individual or group of people should be discriminated against and thus not given a chance to be immunized (Phillips 2013, p275). The above statements thus depict the real definitions of health equity and health equality.

Globally health concerns are rising as diseases spread all over. This being the case, a country has to be aware of these concerns and thus find solutions for them. It is however unfortunate that the hierarchy of social status renders some people vulnerable to being affected by diseases. Poor people have been witnessed to suffer a great risk of getting infected with diseases. This has been witnessed in some countries in Asia (Baum 2011, p78). In such poor regions, health equity is not available as no immunization against diseases is offered to the people who occupy them. It is not that governments are not aware of these issues; they just do not make an effort of satisfying the health needs of such people.

With reference to the above example, health equality is also a factor. The rich people in such regions considered to be poor are the ones who get the opportunity to be immunized. Health inspectors are ignorant of those poor people and thus they give rich people the first priority (Nettleton 2009, p90). This should not be the case at all. Consequently health equality as an ethical matter is not upheld.