Discrimination based on disease status - Essay Example

Lecturer Essay # Discrimination based on "disease status" In the Flesh is a drama series that best epitomizes the problem ofdiscrimination, mainly that which is based on one’s disease. In this series, which follows the life of the teenager Kieren Walker who suffers from Partially Disease Syndrome, the victims who suffer from the condition face numerous challenges in their attempts to integrate into the society. This is after they are raised from the dead and the re-animated back to life as zombies. Because of the diseases they suffer, the society treats them with great suspicion and hatred. In this series, such discrimination appears morally acceptable. However, given that we live in a society that is at risk of epidemics such as AIDS and Ebola, this discrimination is unacceptable and unethical. Discrimination based on the disease a person is suffering from is unacceptable since it marginalizes the individuals affected from the wider society and prevents them from accessing basic services. Victims of such discrimination may find it difficult to associate with others and speak about their problems. As a result, they will hide their conditions from the public in order to avoid such discrimination. This is not only disadvantageous to them but to the wider society as well. For instance, if an individual understands that he has contracted the deadly Ebola virus, he is likely to keep this information to himself for fear of discrimination, in the end, the person may end up infecting more people, thereby affecting the entire society. It is important that person who suffer from such conditions are not be viewed as a danger to society but instead handled with love and given the support needed. In this series for instance, in reference to the Zombies, Vicar Oddie, a member of the church in Roarton village, says that the government was putting back the dangerous friends into the community. Although such people may appear dangerous, it is important for the society to embrace them and look for ways of helping them. In handling people with such conditions however, great care needs to be taken to prevent further infections. Morally, the idea of discrimination based on disease in indefensible. This is based on three important points. First, such discrimination is in violation of individual justice. Discrimination based on health conditions is just as bad as discrimination based on things such as skin color, gender and religion. In this sense, people are treated unfairly not because of the mistakes of their own making but because of conditions they have no control over. It is obvious that such people are unjustly treated in the society. For example, as illustrated in the In the Flesh series, the thousands of people who suffer from the Partially Disease Syndrome had no control over it. It should be understood that there are various forces in nature that may cease diseases and other health complications, and therefore such forces cannot be controlled by the individual. It is therefore morally wrong to assume that this form of discrimination is acceptable in the society. Although the disease itself may be physically, socially or emotionally handicapping the affected person, discrimination itself is in fact the biggest obstacle in the lives of the victims. Furthermore, since diseases and health conditions are not meant for specific people, everyone in the society is susceptible to such. This further underscores the importance of treating affected individuals with love and care because the same predicament may befall you. One of the golden rules in life is to treat others the way we would want to be treated. This makes such discrimination morally wrong. Secondly, discrimination dents the ability of the public to handle such health conditions and explore treatment options to deal with them. In a society characterized by discrimination, it will be very difficult for the affected person to get tested. This increases the chances of the disease being transmitted. In addition, without testing, different treatment options will not be explored. In a society where there is no discrimination, it becomes easy for the public to be educated on the risk behaviors that might expose them to such health conditions. For example, if a person suffers from AIDS, he is in a better position to educate the public on the risk behaviors that are associated with the disease. This can only happen if the individual is integrated back into the society. Furthermore, without accepting such people back into the society, it becomes impossible for them to receive the best treatment and care options available (Gostin & Webber, 270). By accepting such people in the society, their families and society in general are taught about the ways of taking care of them. Through such efforts, not only will the affected persons receive good care but will also ensure that the larger society learns and benefits from them. Finally, this form of discrimination damages the image of the society as well as hurting the economy. A society that is seen to neglect a section of its members will create a bad reputation in the rest of the world. In the end, members of other societies or people with similar conditions will not want to come to that area or country. Given that we live in a globalized environment in which economies rely much on human interactions, this type of discrimination can be damaging. When such people are denied the opportunity to access basic services, their ability to take part in constructive nation-building activities is limited (Gostin & Webber, 270). For example, discrimination based on diseases could lead to a person being denied employment. In the end, the society looses out on the talents and special abilities of such individuals. Furthermore, if such people have families and dependants, discrimination denies them the opportunity to support their families. In the end, these people end up being a burden to society. The social and economic costs of having unemployed, uninsured or other marginalized groups in the society are numerous. Based on this fact, the reasonable thing that should be done is to accept and support persons with various health conditions. In conclusion, the In the Flesh drama series brings to light the importance of accepting and integrating people back into our societies regardless of their health conditions. It is morally wrong to use one’s health status to segregate them from the rest of the society. As illustrated in the above discussion, it is through the integration efforts that the affected individuals get the best assistance from the society. Discrimination is an injustice to the victims since it denies them the opportunity to be part of the society. When this happens, the society and the economy suffer costs brought about by the discrimination. Works Cited Gostin, Lawrence & Webber, David. ‘Discrimination Based on HIV/AIDS and Other Conditions: "Disability" As Defined Under Federal and State Law.’ Journal of Health Care Law & Policy, 3. (2000): 266-329. Web In The Flesh. Marsden, West Yorkshire: Ann Harrison-Baxter, 2013. Film. Read More