“If you are poor, if you are not white, you will receive medical care secondarily ”
The coronavirus epidemic in the US has highlighted the issue of racial inequality in American society. According to The New York Times, the rate of infections and deaths from coronavirus among black Americans is disproportionately high compared with white. The publication asks not to make hasty conclusions in connection with this information., but calls to pay attention to depressing statistics.
In Chicago (Illinois) blacks make up 1/3 the population, but they have to 50% infected and 72% dead from the epidemic. “These statistics are the worst, what I saw as mayor, - commented on the situation of Laurie Lightfoot, the first black town governor in the history of the city.
Throughout Illinois African-American 15%, but they have to 43% deceased and 28% ill. Among Michigan residents African American 14%, and among their dead 40%, among infected - more 30%. The Most Shocking Figures in Louisiana: 70% deceased - blacks, whose staff lives a little more 30%. Nevada and Connecticut have similar situations.. In Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, all the first eight victims of the epidemic are blacks.
Health experts cite reasons for such racial bias: blacks are more white than in low-paid physical labor; they have less opportunity to sit out the epidemic at home; they are less likely, than white, have health insurance; they are less likely to rely on timely medical attention due to racial prejudice, still unrooted in american society.
Research company Rubix Life Sciences established: due to the lack of tests in the American polyclinics to detect infected COVID-19 American doctors prefer not to spend them on African-Americans.
Most diagnostic centers for quick detection of cornavirus cases are open in hospitals., traditionally serving the white population. Clinical laboratories, located in African American neighborhoods, many weeks may not receive the necessary medications to fight coronavirus. This happened to the laboratory at Meharry College of Medicine (Meharry Medical College) in the capital of tennessee, and not only with her. “Other universities had, undoubtedly, more opportunities to get such materials easier and faster ”, - says college rector Dr. James Hildreth (James Hildreth).
“Experience shows, what if you are poor, if you are not white, you will receive medical care secondarily ”, - says executive director of the american public health association (The American Public Health Assossiation) Dr. George Benjamin.
The growth of discrimination by color in the US is also indicated in the report of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “On the situation with human rights in individual countries”.
Despite approximately the same level of illicit drug use, number of blacks, convicted under “narcotic” articles, many times greater than the number of whites. The likelihood of an adult black being detained in 5,9 times higher, than an adult white. Human rights organization Human Rights Watch established, that members of various ethnic minorities are being physically abused by US police in 2,5 times more often, than European Americans.
Red-skinned Americans suffer from discrimination. Despite, that 1924 g. all Indians in the United States recognized as citizens of the United States, they are deprived of a number of rights and freedoms. Many families on reservations do not have an official mailing address, because of what they cannot vote in elections. 32% residents of south dakota, 26% Nevada, 14% Arizona, 10% New Mexico declined to vote because of the need to travel long distances to polling stations. In Arizona, the Navajo Indians are judicially trying to get the right to use the services of an interpreter for those members of the tribe, who do not speak English.
Appeals, filed by the Indians, stretch for a very long time. This increases the cost of legal personnel to an unacceptable amount for Indians, and they can no longer defend their rights in court.
According to human rights, in the USA act 1020 hate organizations. AT 2018 g. The number of cases promoting the idea of the superiority of the white race in America has increased by 182% compared with 2017 year. On 17% hate crimes increased, of which 60% were racial.
UN Human Rights Working Group on People of African Descent reports, what, although blacks make up 13% US population, at 2016 g. 24% all those killed by american police were black. The most dangerous city for blacks is Los Angeles. Here the police kill one person every five days., and in most cases it's black.
A photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Vladislav GULEVICH
