Health Care that We Have

Health care in the country are in four tiers. First it is the island level, and then it is atoll level, after that it is regional level and finally it is the national level in the capital Male’. These different levels of health services for the people are at differing range in services and quality.

Most of the health care available at island and atoll level are pretty basic and lacks resources ranging from trained personnel to equipments, treatment and medications. Moreover, regional level health care services are no better than that of Male’.

This was evident when we sought health care service from one of the health centre recently in our visit to our island. The foreign doctors in the island changed the medications as they wish and was not able to suspect the continuous fever for anything that was common in the island or for that matter in the Maldives.

So, our gut feeling was that we cut short our visit to the island and return to Male’. It was expensive to travel from atoll level to regional then to Male’ because there is no cheaper transportation mechanism in the country yet. So, upon returning Male’ the pediatrician at a private hospital did couple of tests and pronounced that it was dengue fever and said it can be managed at home and released explaining what can be done at home.

At home as we realized that the child’s health is deteriorating we took him to the government hospital in Male’ and immediately treated for dengue when I showed the report to the doctor in the emergency room. But we were placed in a corner in emergency room, because there were no empty beds, where wastes lay around and dustbins were not empty for days. However, next morning we were transferred to children’s ward.

From these I realize this would be the experience of each and every Maldivian. It lacks resources and personnel in the provision of quality health care around the country. To expand the health sector in order to cater for the growing need for better and quality health care around the country it needs better facilities, equipments, well trained human resources and most importantly quality health care affordable and within reach without a hefty transport bill.

So, we need to put more funds and resources in this sector for it to improve. I stand for it.