DailyMirror.lk:
A government medical officer yesterday suggested charging Rs.20 from patients for treatment at the Outdoor Patients Department (OPD) at state hospitals to contain drug wastage and un-necessary treatment notwithstanding the government’s free health policy.
Commenting on the perennial heavy congestions at the OPD of the Colombo National Hospital and other general hospitals, the doctor said one of the main reasons for the huge wastage of drugs is that people go to state hospitals even for a miner ailment because consultancy and drugs are available freely.
“The irony is that they do not use the full dosage of drugs prescribed by the doctor and issued free by the hospital. More than half of the drugs prescribed are wasted. You can find unused and discarded drugs obtained from state medical institutions if you do a random check at any house in the country. Many people go to hospitals and get free drugs in an attitude of ‘On the way home’ or ‘Gedara Yana Gaman”, the doctor said on condition of anonymity for obvious reasons.
He said some people have a tendency to meet a doctor and get drugs even when they visit a patient at the hospital. They come to hospital seeking treatment even for a slightest headache merely because medical consultation and drugs are freely available. If the government charges a small fee like Rs. 20 from a patient for medical consultancy at state hospitals, it will serve as a response to congestion at hospitals and wastage of drugs worth millions of rupees.
“This is only a suggestion not meant to harm the free health policy of the government. The patient can contribute to this by way of fixing a stamp of Rs. 20 to the prescription chit,” he added.
Meanwhile, Health ministry spokesman W.M.D.Wanninayaka said the ministry spends Rs. 14 billion to import drugs annually and the budget is rising every year.
Confirming the comments of the doctor, Mr. Wanninayaka said drug wastage and congestions specially at OPD at state hospitals is a problem for the health ministry.