Healthcare in the Caropsyne Pontanore
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The Caropsyne Pontanore operates a vast universal healthcare system, which is available to all citizens of the Pontanore. All necessary medical care is provided free of charge, whilst elective procedures have charges set by the Medical Directorate of the Pontanore, in consultation with the Pontanore Medical Council, a group which represents the interests and concerns of the medical profession within the Pontanore. The Pontanore's healthcare system has been praised by several regional reports, as well as regarded with admiration by the governments of some other nations. Despite this, it is often regarded as inefficient, unequally distributed, and frequently under-funded.
Pontanore Hospitals
The Pontanore operates a system of free public hospitals, known as Pontanore Hospitals. There are over 100,000 Pontanore Hospitals serving the wider Pontanore. These hospitals provide a general level of care to all Pontanore citizens. As well as these facilities, the Pontanore maintains a separate category of Pontanore Specialist Hospitals, which are regarded as centres of excellence in the treatment of specific conditions. Fornænda, for example, is home to 27 Pontanore Specialist Hospitals, which serve the Fornænda province. The often centralised locations of specialist departments and units has been criticised by health campaigners in a number of Pontanore States, where transport infrastructure is insufficient. To combat the problems facing the large areas of rural land unserved by specialist hospitals, each Pontanore State maintains a number of Mobile Specialist Units, which travel as needed.
In a recent survey, 82% of those surveyed were in favour of the current Pontanore health provision. It is widely believed within the Pontanore that the level of healthcare enjoyed in Caropsyne-majority territories is much higher than that in outlying Pontanore States. There is some validity in this argument, as the healthcare systems in Jajiland and Gregon are especially poor. It has been argued by the Civil Directorate and the government of Miria Seranoda that this is partially the fault of the JIF in the case of Jajiland, and the responsibility of corrupt local officials in Gregon.
The State Dispensory of the Pontanore
The State Dispensory of the Pontanore is the Pontanore-wide body for the prescription of medicines and pharmaceutical products. It is directed by the Civil Directorate. Prescriptions are available at a set charge of SCC 18 across the Pontanore, or its equivilent. The SDP operates a chain of State-owned chemists across the Pontanore, which hold the only licence for the selling of a wide variety of medical and holistic products. The amount of power given to the SDP and its hold over the market has occasionally be criticised as excessive by business groups.
The State Dispensory of the Pontanore has recently been embroiled in a wage battle with the Amalgamated Unions of Public Service Workers over proposed limits to pay increases within pharmacies. 89 Million union members walked out on a Pontanore-wide strike to oppose the plans introduced by Dr. Limia Cattanna of the Civil Directorate. These strikes resulted in auxiliary staff having to manage a much-reduced service for several weeks, until the government was forced to abandon its new pay structure proposals.
