OPINION

Doctors Art Nahill and Maple Goh have shone with their focus on health promotion and early intervention (Opinion, October 22).

I have felt for so long that we must take health and education out of the political arena and let someone like these two enlightened people sit around a table with cross parties and those who can get the conversation going.

Many have tried to fix the systems, but with different political parties in power every few years, little has been focused on what is needed to give us a robust and equitable system.

No government can do this alone.

There are voices in communities with messages that are never heard, and there are many policies that could be made not to hinder but to help serve communities.

As an ordinary person now ageing, I have had many years to work and observe these two vital systems and have seen many wonderful ideas tossed aside for whatever reason.

It is time we forget politics and focus on joint ventures combining ingenuity, innovation, and local knowledge to create a strong and beneficial system for every community and its people.

The old saying, “working together works” is more important than ever.

One only has to pick up a newspaper to see the outcomes of refusing to forgive, thinking our ideas are better, professional jealousies, not listening, power struggles, and forgetting that sometimes the simplest ideas from simple community people may be the brightest gem.

Many wonderful initiatives in our community are changing lives as in other communities. Let us all hope the people who make decisions for us are looking, learning and taking up the challenge of “working together works “.

Nona Aston

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