World economic crisis, privatisation, kill people

The census bureau figures that came out Tuesday, showing the largest number of Americans living in poverty since records began in 1959, are a damning indictment of American capitalism and the entire political system: here.

By Kranti Kumara:

Atlanta dialysis patients left to die

15 September 2011

At least 22 indigent patients suffering from kidney failure in Atlanta, Georgia have been literally left to die for the past several weeks. Patients whose kidneys have failed need to receive regular dialysis treatment 2 to 3 times a week in order to stay alive. Poor patients in the city have been struggling to receive regular care since 2009.

These former patients of Atlanta’s sole nominally public hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital, were cut off from regular dialysis after the expiration of a contract, on August 31, between Grady and a private corporation Fresnius Medical Care. Fresnius was previously contracted to treat these patients at its dialysis center under the contract.

Immediately after the expiration of the contract, on September 1, Fresnius refused to provide treatment to these patients, forcing them to wait until their medical condition had become dangerous enough to seek treatment in Grady’s emergency room.

The patients have frantically sought dialysis. One woman even flew to her native Honduras in desperation on Wednesday last week after losing consciousness at home earlier.

Most of the patients are undocumented immigrants and some others do not qualify for either federal government’s Medicaid or Medicare coverage.

According to a Harvard Medical Study published in 2009, nearly 45,000 people a year die in the United States from preventable illnesses which go untreated due to lack of medical insurance. This represents approximately one person every 12 minutes, and serves as a huge counterexample to American claims of having “the best Healthcare system in the world”: here.

Britain: Unemployment and inflation surge as Cameron threatens immigrants’ benefits: here.

The new academic year saw 24 new “free schools” open in England, whose purpose is to accelerate the privatisation of public education: here.

The ratings firm Moody’s downgraded two of France’s biggest banks Wednesday, increasing pressure on governments across Europe to impose austerity measures on the working class: here.

Greek workers plunged into social misery: here.

Hundreds of demonstrators clashed with riot police outside Italy’s parliament on Wednesday night after the Chamber of Deputies passed a €45.5 billion (£40bn) austerity package: here.

While the public is continually told that Australia is “insulated” from the global economic crisis, the political establishment is conscious of the explosive implications of mounting job cuts, inequality and social distress: here.