Sri Lanka alcohol healthcare restrictions criticised
A union representing doctors in Sri Lanka has protested against government plans to stop free healthcare for those addicted to alcohol.
The health ministry is planning to stop free health care to “alcohol-addicts” from next month.
The union says the new measure jeopardises doctor-patient relations because medics are required to provide a health report for each patient.
The poor that will be twice punished by the measure, the union says.
Dr Nishantha Dasanayake, president of the All Ceylon Government Medical Officers’ Association, said that the union is happy that Sri Lanka’s Medical Council has expressed objections to the government’s initiative.
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The family gets penalised twice – firstly by the husband’s alcoholism and secondly by the government charging for health care”
End Quote Dr Nishantha Dasanayake All Ceylon Government Medical Officers’ Association
The union is affiliated to opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a party that opposes smoking and the use of alcohol.
“According to specialist reports it is proven that those who are addicted to alcohol are from lower layers of the society,” Dr Dasanayake said.
“When a patient is asked to pay, he is not the one who pays but his family. Then the family gets penalised twice – firstly by the husband’s (or father’s) alcoholism and secondly by the government charging for health care.”
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena announced in a public meeting that arrangements should be made to set up a system to charge for state money spent on treating alcoholics on a doctor’s recommendation.
“According to Minister Sirisena, if a doctor diagnoses that the cause of a patient’s ailment is because of the use of alcohol, state money spent on treating such patients will be charged to them under the new system,” the state-run Daily News reported.
But Dr Dasanayake says such a move has not been properly considered.
“If we are to report to the government, we will have to breach the Hippocratic Oath that protects patient’s privacy,” he said.
Source: BBC
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In SL healthcare is free for the deserving. Our people are fortunate to have free heathcare unlike most countries in the West. However, our people should not exploit the free health care by self-inflicted destruction of their health by their own foolhardiness, such as addiction to drugs and alcohol. If they have the money to throw away on boozing and drugs then they should be enforced to pay for their health problems as a result of their misuse. The expense of their healthcare should not come from the State healthcare budget.They should also be made to pay for the cost of treatment and rehabilitation for substance misuse.
The argument the family is penalised twice is a false argument. The State will care for the family anyway. Substance misusers should have enforced re-habilitation in special camps provided by an NGO or INGO. Healthcare budget should be for healthcare of the deserving citizens who do not endanger their health in substance misuse. The same is true for tobacco smokers. This way a better health service could be provided for citizens, with more money to expand the health service to rural areas, which tend to be neglected unfortunately.
Nicholas
Meka mamanam Dakinne Hoda nethi deyak vidiyatai
Mankollakaruwan. Horun , Ganikawan Wediveemak Sidu Wevi-
Rani
Bebaddanva ha kudukarayanva goda ganna amaarui. Gangata ini kapanava vage wedak. batahira vedekama gini ganan. ayurveda kramaya pamanai movunta honda. eya labai.
Api dupath ratak. ape saukya amathyanshaye mudal viyadan kala yuththe ahinsika ledunva suvapath karanna. visheshayenma duppath gemiyanva. kudu karayanva ha bebaddanva suva karanna apahasu nisa mudal viyadan kirima apathe yemak. ovun ayurveda phita hoyagaththu den.
Danavath batahira ratavalvalath bebaddanta ha kudukarayanta ha cigarette bonnanta anduva magin prathikara karanne nehe. ovun pudkalika prathikara hoya gatha yuthui.
You paid for alcohol so you pay for the medications. Sounds logical to me. If the oath is the problem then we can change the doctors’ oath to suit the new situation, and so be it for the sake of good citizens who don’t abuse alcohol and drugs. We humans made the oath and it needs to be revised from time to time.
Families will have to work harder to get their members out of alcohol abuse and not everything is the responsibility of the government. At the end, every citizen in the country is a part of “the government” in various levels.