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Journalism of Courage
Kristen Fischer, an American woman living in India since 2021, has been documenting her life and often comparing the two countries on various aspects in her videos. Fischer recently hailed India’s healthcare system after he had a thumb injury, and the treatment cost just Rs 50, a stark contrast to healthcare in the US.
In a recent Instagram video, Fischer shared a kitchen mishap that turned into a moment of realisation. “Okay, let me tell you a story about my experience with healthcare in India,” she begins, explaining how she accidentally cut her thumb while chopping vegetables. “It was bleeding a lot, and I tried everything I could to stop it. Finally, I turned to Tim and said, I think I need to go get some stitches.”
Instead of calling an ambulance or driving, Fischer cycled to a nearby hospital, her thumb wrapped in a makeshift bandage. “They brought me into their little emergency room, and I showed them the bandage covered in blood,” she says. “Nurses and doctors tried to stop the bleeding, and eventually one nurse wrapped it in a way that worked. They told me I might not even need stitches.”
Fischer then expressed her surprise at what happened next. “I went to the reception to pay, and they only charged me 50 rupees. The whole ordeal took about 45 minutes,” she said.
In the caption of her video, she added, “For those who don’t know, that is like 60 cents. Healthcare is so much more affordable in India than in the USA where most insurance premiums cost $1–2k/month!”
Reflecting on the experience, Fischer highlighted three things that stood out to her which are the hospital’s close proximity, the complete lack of wait time, and the incredibly low cost of care. “Just another reason why I love Indian healthcare so much,” she concluded.
Watch the video here:
The video prompted a wave of reactions, with several users sharing their stances on the comparison. “Agree. There is an abundance if help in India. And not just help but medical help.its wonderful and it never feels like it comes with strings attached,” a user wrote.
“It costs absolutely $0 to go to Emergency in a hospital in Australia. Even if you’re admitted it still costs nothing. We are amongst one of the lucky countries for Health Care,” another user commented.
“Nothing makes me more happy than foreigners liking my country when everyone else is criticizing it,” a third user reacted.
