Heartache for poor patients
Patients who turned up seeking free health care at the Colombo National Hospital on Friday when the Government Medical Officers Association had called for a strike, went away feeling sickened by the disruption.
The doctors group halted work for a day to demand that the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine, SAITM, be nationalised, that the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement with India be shelved, and pension issues be reviewed. More than 100 unions supported the strike. They promised a continuing strike, which will be decided on May 9.
One elderly patient who was sent back home from hospital said the poor are suffering. Mrs. H.M Silva, 73, from Wattala, was told to return on the 15th of next month. “Only the poor have to go through these difficulties.’’
She complained as she wept: “This happened to me during the last month also. I spent Rs. 1,500 for medicine. I just have enough money for travelling. I cannot spend thousands at pharmacies. That’s why I visit the OPD to get free medicine. I live alone and I earn on a daily basis – buying drugs outside will make life hard.’’
Another patient suffering from breathing problems decided to seek private hospital care. “There is no one here to give us medicine so we are going to Nawaloka,” her sister Rubini kaushalya, 26, from Slave Island said.
A heart patient S. A Cader, 69, from Mattakuliya, came to hospital not aware of the strike and waited for over an hour to get another date for his check-up.
“I stayed to change the date today, otherwise I would have to come again. I waited for over an hour for the nurse to give me a new date,’’ he said adding “we are the ones who always suffer. We cannot stay here all day, we have to get back to our own work.’’
Mohammed Ali, 35, from Beruwala said: “I was told to come again on Tuesday to buy medicine. It’s not that simple coming all the way from Beruwala.’’
“Doctors should abide by their duty. You are not fit to be doctors. If you insist that you will not resume work until your demands are fulfilled,” he complained.
The biggest impact has been on rural hospitals where no alternative medical facilities are available for patients.
Deputy Director of Jaffna Teaching Hospital Dr. S. V Bavanantharaja said that, doctors went on strike but that normal services and emergency surgery continued.
There are 300 medical officers at the hospital but only 100 worked on Friday. Most clinic patients were sent to private pharmacies for their medication and told to return to hospital in a week, he said.
“Even during the strike, some doctors unofficially served in wards. The situation didn’t get worse here as we do not have a maternity section,” said the Director of Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Dr. Shelton Perera.
Urgent surgeries and emergency care were available at Kandy Hospital, the deputy director Dr. Nishantha Wijewardene, said adding that, 15 specialist doctors went on strike, while 55 other doctors took union action. Interns provided emergency care.