The discussion about whether it would be criminal to give a mother formula
samples to feed her baby who has been starved on diluted formula shows up
the different kinds of problems faced in countries with and without
universal health care coverage.  We on this side of the pond, and, I
suspect, many Canadians, just don't 'get it'.  I admit, I am as curious as
Gonneke about what the plan would be when the free formula sample is used
up.  Who will be available to go through the options, including relactation,
and follow up this mother until she is able to provide adequate nutrition of
some kind to her baby?

And, on the other hand, how can any of us expect a pediatrician or anyone
else whose life is devoted to the well-being of babies, to see a baby who is
starving, and not want to do something immediately, then and there, to help
the baby, within the framework in which they work?

We have illegal immigrants too, though not many (living out of doors or in a
car is just not possible this far north, and living indoors costs money and
makes one more visible).  But no health care facility would have to turn
someone away who needed help, and the right of a child to be fed enough to
support normal growth would go before any other consideration whatsoever.
We have a safety net with pretty small holes; a baby would have a hard time
slipping through it, and it would be unlikely to take as long as 8 months to
discover a baby who was starving because of dilute formula.

It always stops me cold to see this kind of discussion on Lactnet because I
realize how much I take for granted after 20 years of expatriate life here,
even after growing up in an inner city neighborhood in a medium size US
city.  For the record, the per capita GNP in the US is slightly higher than
the per capita GNP in Norway, so it's not lack of money that is preventing
the extension of basic human services to all residents, or all minors.  The
decision about which tasks are considered the individual's responsibility
and which are considered a common societal responsibility is a political
decision.  If you don't like the way the tasks are divided in your society,
it doesn't change much to give a sample of formula to one baby in need, and
in a worst case scenario it could postpone substantive change that could
benefit far more than the one baby you meet.  So, while you are treating the
emergencies the best way you can, give a thought to how other societies
handle the question of feeding, housing, and caring for the populace, and to
how we (us US citizens) could keep more mothers and babies out of this
tragic situation by using the abundant resources we have, in different ways.
It may sound insurmountable, but it's got to be better than the set-up for
burnout that lies in only being able to provide the most rudimentary
stop-gap help when facing such things day in and day out.

When I say 'political' I of course do not mean partisan political, and in
Norway there is not one political party that would ever advocate dismantling
the entire safety net, on the whole spectrum from essentially libertarian,
to communist.  There are at present no communists in Parliament, and the
libertarians are the second largest party, though not part of the ruling
coalition consisting of Conservatives and the Christian People's Party.  I
include this so no one will mistakenly believe that I live in a 'socialist'
country. 

Off to joust with a windmill or two now,
Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway 

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