-By A Concerned Citizen
(Lanka-e-News -08.Jan.2025, 6.50 PM) A copy of a letter sent to Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya by a citizen who is aggrieved regarding irregularities occurring at the basic hospitals in the Hambantota district has been sent to us. The full text is as follows.
Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya,
The Honorable Prime Minister of Sri Lanka,
58, Sir Ernest De Silva Mawatha
Colombo 07
Respected Madam,
As a resident of Hambantota District, I am deeply concerned about the functioning of the Primary Care Units in our area. It has come to my notice that there are several challenges faced by patients visiting government hospitals, particularly in Primary Medical Care Units (PMCUs).
1. Absence of Doctors: On numerous occasions, doctors are not present during their scheduled working hours, leading to significant inconvenience for patients who often have to wait for hours without receiving necessary medical attention. This issue is notably prevalent on Saturdays when most PMCUs seem to lack doctors' presence entirely. I would also like to bring to your attention that between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM, doctors at PMCUs are frequently absent or remain in their offices without attending to patients or shouting at the patients. I suggest placing clear notices at the main entrances of these facilities indicating the doctors' break times from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, to prevent any inconvenience to patients.
2. Lack of Communication: There is no system in place to inform the public when a doctor is on leave, resulting in patients making futile trips to the hospitals. This lack of information exacerbates the distress of those in need of urgent care.
3. Early Departures: It has been observed that doctors often leave before their official working hours end. This practice further deprives patients of timely medical assistance. Therefore, patients think it's best to see the same doctor at his/her private practice as their punctual, kind and attentive to paid patients. However, only the rich people benefit from the services that are provided by the government doctors at private clinics and private hospitals.
1. Attendance Monitoring: I request the implementation of a robust system to monitor the attendance of doctors and other healthcare staff. This will ensure that they adhere to their working hours and provide consistent care to the public. Why not invest on a locally developed HR system for hospital staff. (Minor staff can keep the finger print and doctors can use their mobile phones to checkin and checkout. Sri Lanka's best HR system (hSenid) would only cost about Rs. 150 per person. Then you can save the time and cost of the flying squad that goes to audit the doctors. This will help to save claiming overtime when their doing private practice saving tax payers money.
2. Notification System: Establishing a communication channel, such as a hotline or online platform. For example e-Chanelling will helps paid patients plan their visits more effectively without wasting their time when they go to meet government doctors at private clinics and private hospitals. It is advisable to display the doctors' next month rosters at the entrance of hospitals at the end of each month.
3. Feedback Mechanism: Introducing a formal process for patients to lodge complaints and provide feedback about their experiences at the hospitals. This will enable the authorities to address issues promptly and enhance the quality of healthcare services. Easiest option is to introduce QR Code to collect feedback from Google forms free of charge), to bring the relevant authorities what's happening in government hospitals.
The current state of our healthcare system is a matter of significant concern, and it is crucial to address these issues to ensure that all citizens have access to reliable and timely medical care. I kindly request your intervention in this matter to implement the necessary improvements.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue. I hope that swift action will be taken to rectify these problems and enhance the efficiency of our healthcare system.
Yours sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen
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by (2025-01-08 13:33:51)
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