By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.

It is heartening to hear that there will be a meeting of eminent personalities for the patientƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s rights on Saturday the 26th.

One of the rights of the patients which is totally disregarded by the doctors is the tight to seek treatment wherever they want to.

Often if a patientƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has been treated at private nursing homes the government doctors refuse the follow up of these patients. Sometime the patients are treated free by NGO organized clinics and even then this abuse seems to be happening. For eg. We get at least 2000 patients operated for cataract every year absolutely free by a Saudi sponsored team with permission from the health department. The patients consist of people from all walks of life, of all religions and from regions. These doctors even do a follow up check in two weeks absolutely free giving even the medicines free. If a patient needs a check up or treatment after this they seek the government hospital and often they are rudely asked to go and see the doctors who operated them.

Now the waiting list at most government Eye clinics is about 6 months to one year. The doctors should be happy that their work load is reduced by such camps. Rather the doctors, nurses and even the laborers abuse the patients for having got it done privately.

What do they expect from these poor patients? To wait for a year blindly when a service is available? Do the hospital staff has the right to refuse treatment to anyone? What are they expecting? That if they do not get it done in these camps that they will come to get it done privately by the hospital doctors?

Hope this will catch the eye of the Minister of Health.