I work at the children's ward as doctor.
I have seen a large number of families; especially those from Daru, Goilala, Kerema being stranded at the hospital once their medical concerns are sorted out. They cannot afford to go home because of the following reasons;
- hospital sending them to POM (rare) only privide oneway ticket (although the referring hospital knows that they should be reffered with 2 way ticket.)
- walked all the way here ( Goilala & Kerema) or bought their own ticket for better health care & second opinion (Daru).
- came via charttered aircraft and are now stranded as no charttered plane going back
- unknown reasons etcc...
PMGH does not pay for repatriation of patients back home whatever the medical problem as per their protocol. Such patients and their family often stay very long in the hospital and as a result will have following consequences
- family problems (marital issues)
- secondary hospital acquired illnesses
( usually very bad bugs-multiresistant bugs)
- occupying bed which can be allocated to another sick child
- costing hospial's already strethed budget
-missing out on love & support from families and relatives
- mental health problems for all
o others
I usually get help outside using my own resources to assist such families back home out of mercy.
I have tried to contact welfare serivices but of no help.
Assistance from the goverment towards such patienst are poor and almost non-existent.
Whoever can assist in any way in terms of getting welfare services to look into this matter will be really helpful to all.
Thank you all
Cheers
|
Post Courier