Hospitals won't help "drunk" patients

The Ministry of Health has disputed allegations doing rounds that clinics and hospitals will not attend to any patient who is found to have deliberately put their health at risk by consuming excessive alcohol or drugs.Last week Social Media went abuzz over hearsay that government-owned health facilities no longer assist patients who are found to have actively contributed to their sick health.

According to the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer Shirley Muaamambo, they have taken a decision to stop offering FREE medical care and treatment to alcohol and substance abuse patients.

Muaamambo said this in a brief interview with The Midweek Sun yesterday. “The ministry does not say that it will neglect patients but rather, the patient will be expected to pay a certain amount before they can be offered assistance.”   

However, Muaamambo remained cagey on how they will determine if one had “deliberately put one’s health at risk,” saying they are working on briefing the public about the matter in future.Meanwhile, it is alleged that different hospitals and clinics countrywide have been served with the memorandum to notify them of the new dispensation.

The matter has raised mixed emotions with many lashing out at the government for deliberately infringing upon their personal rights.As it stands, this means that accidents happening because of alcohol consumption and lung cancer patients will not be attended to before paying the hospital its dues. Quizzed on what will happen should a patient not be able to pay the requested amount, Muaamambo insisted that the public wait for a full report to be released soon by the ministry.