Chilenje Hospital accident victim incident probed
THE Zambia Medical Association has instituted investigations into an incident where medical doctors reportedly denied an accident victim emergency services because he didn’t have a police report to certify he was involved in a road traffic accident.
Association secretary general Dr Francis Mupeta disclosed this in a statement following an incident which happened at Chilenje Level One Hospital in Lusaka at the weekend.
It is alleged that medical staff at the hospital denied medical treatment to a man who was injured after being hit by a drunk driver in Woodlands on Saturday April 24 2018 at around 22:00 hours.
Dr Mupeta said when the accident victim was rushed at the hospital for treatment, medical staff allegedly refused to administer treatment because the victim did not have a police report certifying that he was in an accident and that he needed emergency services.
But Dr Mupeta explained that there was no law that required a police report before a health worker could provide medical attention to a patient or victim.
“We regret the incidence that happened at Chilenje Level One Hospital where an accident victim was denied emergency medical services before obtaining a police medical report.
“A medical provider is not mandated to force the victim or patient to obtain the Police medical report form before attending to them,” he said. Dr Mupeta said in emergency cases, medical doctors were on duty all the time and were required to offer emergency treatment to affected victims. He however, said under the laws of Zambia, every criminal act ought to be reported within reasonable time to the law enforcement agencies such as Zambia Police Service.
“Therefore, we wish to reiterate that there are no circumstances under the Zambian law where a patient or victim must provide a medical report before being attended to. In respect to medical emergencies, trauma resulting from acts of violence or accidents be it domestic, industrial and transportation these should be reported to law enforcement agencies,” he said
He has however, warned that the association will not protect any member found not to be upholding principles of good medical practices in cases of emergency. “The association wishes to remind all medical doctors that sending away victims of trauma of any sort from emergency rooms if they have no police medical report forms, is against the standards of good medical practice and the principles of medical ethics,” he said
Dr Mupeta urged the public report any medical staff denying medical services to victims of trauma without police medical report forms to regulatory authorities such as the Health Professions Council of Zambia. He has advised. Zambia Medical Association remains committed to ensuring that medical doctors uphold highest standards of medical practice to ensure that Zambian are served diligently, Dr Mupeta said.