Letter: North Berkshire Deserves Full-Service Hospital
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To the Editor,
Congratulations to Fairview Hospital and BHS for the national award it received in December. It was wonderful to read that "Fairview Hospital is part of a strong network of health care that provides a level of high quality medical care unusual to find in a rural community," President Eugene Dellea was quoted as saying, "the Leapfrog Top Rural Hospital Award is a direct reflection of the staff at Fairview Hospital and Berkshire Health Systems who are committed to providing care that meets the needs of our neighborhoods and is second to none ... ."
The approximate 37,000 residents of Northern Berkshire County neighborhoods need that same commitment from Berkshire Health Systems. The neighborhoods of North Berkshire require a full-service hospital just as Central and Southern Berkshire neighborhoods each have their own hospital.
The 35,000 residents of Southern Berkshire County have an award-winning, 25-bed, full-service hospital. The 37,000 residents of North County want the same. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states "everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services ... ."
Medical care is a human right. It should not be treated as a commodity, which is purchased and sold, which some can afford and others can not. The residents of Northern Berkshire want justice and equal access to medical care that the residents of Central and Southern Berkshire enjoy.
We are in the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday season. He lived his life fighting for equal access and justice for all. He stated that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"; "Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly"; and "The time is always right to do what is right."
The residents of North Berkshire neighborhoods have a dream for a full-service hospital. They are directly affected by the loss of their hospital, which in turn indirectly affects all those who use services at surrounding hospitals. The time is right for Berkshire Health Systems to do what is right. Open a hospital equal to Fairview in North Berkshire, the 37,000 residents of North Berkshire require one.
Richard T Dassatti
North Adams
Tags: health care, hospital,
