Animal welfare and worker’s medical welfare
The factory where I stayed and work in China has two guard dogs, one stationed by the main gate, a second one stationed off the middle section in the factory compound. Both are chained up during the day, very rarely they are allowed to run free. Because of their size, and some workers would deliberately annoy the animals, teased them with sticks, generally pets in China are not loved, they are there to guard their master’s properties. Or in some extreme cases, served up on dinner tables, unfortunately it is going to take a while to educate some segment of the society.
After the factory closed the gate for the day, the majority of the workers would finish their dinner in the factory canteen, do their laundries, and ready for bed. From time to time, some would venture out to the town center, do some shopping, and have dinner out, just to break the monotony of a 12 hours work day.
One such evening, two lady workers returning to the factory compound after dinner, as they were passing through the security gate, unbeknownst to them, one of two guard dog (a younger male dog) was having its collar adjusted by the security guard; this dog is a healthy one year old, cross of some sort.
The two young ladies as all young ladies do, giggling and were playful with the dog, they are not strangers to the dog, there was no barking, baring of teeth, somehow, the dog being a dog, jumped up to play with them, both ladies fell on the ground, both got some scratches on the elbows and the hands.
It became two medical incidents; they were transported to the local hospital, to be checked out by the doctor on duty for rabies. Both weren’t bitten by the animal. But they were offer rabies shots just the same. Here is the funny part; the doctor gave these two emergency patient three options in their rabies shot. #1: Locally manufactured Rabies shot at $ 350 RMB a shot. #2: National brand name Rabies at $800 RMB a shot. #3 Import Rabies Shot at $1400 RMB a shot.
If you were the dog bite victim, what would you opt for; especially the bill is taking care of by your employer? The good old days when medical coverage was still taking care of by the State, all things being equal, and people did receive medical attention when they need them. Admittedly sometimes are rudimentary and basic.
Ever since the cost of medical coverage fall back on the working people themselves, or on the employers themselves, a very large disparity has opened up, and developed in the Chinese society, each and every hospital runs and balances their own budget, what doctor in the world would ask what his or her patients what level of treatment they want to receive?
To be a doctor, the first Aristocrat Oath they learned is:” To do no harm!”
I am not sure if medical staff in hospital receive bonus at year end, but it is ludicrous to pop a question to some 19-20 year old patient at a stressful time like that. The $1400 RMB import variety turned out to be some stuff manufactured under license by some foreign drug manufacturer in Shenzhen, Canton anyways.
The whole exercise cost the factory driver and the two workers hours of waiting in frustration and a sleepless night. The factory owner a bundle of expanses. And I will relate to you readers out there – what happened to that playful dog later.
( The Dog – To be continued )