America Quote by Ruth Simmons
“When we conducted focus group interviews in the first municipality in Brazil before initiating the pilot project, a woman commented: Getting an appointment in the public sector municipal health services is like "winning the lottery." I would like to make it possible for many women and men in Latin America to win the lottery and receive the type of reproductive health services they so urgently need.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Focus group study, Brazil, pre‑pilot health project
Public health appointments are portrayed as extremely scarce, comparable to a lottery, highlighting systemic access barriers.
In simple terms: Health care is hard to get, like a lottery.
Key Takeaway
Improve access to reproductive health services.
Themes
health equity
access
reproductive rights
Latin America
Mood
frustrated
hopeful
Type
policy
advocacy
When to use this quote
- community health clinics
- government health programs
- NGO outreach
- telemedicine services
Key Concepts
public policy
systemic barriers
resource allocation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we sustainably increase service capacity?
- What alternative models could reduce scarcity?
A Different Perspective
Even with reforms, demand may still outpace supply, limiting impact.
![“I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. [salutes]” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d2/bill-hicks-970_america_i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumor_655.jpg)
