see
genetic effects, etc.
These arguments are difficult]
to substan-
tiate or refute, but will certainly continue to be
mised.
It is widely accepted that the secondary and selected
tertiary
care for the affected people will be provided by thd
hospitals
on Majuro and Ebeye.
(The population numbers on Rorgelap, Utirik,
a
Kili (for Bikini people) and Enewetok are not suffidient to either
justify or support more than primary care provided
assistant on the individual atolls).
a medical
This will reqdire a major
improvement in the services provided by these two haspitals.
It is ethically impossible to provide improved health care for
the affected peoples and deny it to their neighbors
ilies because they do not qualify.
land even fam-
This means that
- care developed on all atolls (approximately 50%) wi
people, as well as the secondary care in the hospit
designed for and available to other Marshallese citqzens.
The
only other alternative, a duplicate health care system throughout,
is both unrealistic and politically and economically
unacceptable.
The Marshallese Government officials have made cleaw
their desire
PL iow-48
for the Burton Bill impact to be a national one, rafher that treating parts of their newly emerging state preferentiafly.
logic is understandable.
Their
While trying to unify rather diverse
island people into a new nation, it is not helpful
UY. S. continue to deal independently with some atol
Health care systems become less cost-effective the
population they serve.
The 30,000 population of th@
qmailer the
Marshall
Islands is already so small as to raise economic isques.
Further
reducing this to the approximately 2,000 people "digectly" affected
will only marginally reduce the total costs.
In oter words, a