Going to hospital has become very routine to me. I see familiar faces at the 6th floor cancer ward. They truly are kind. However, I had a strong reason to be disappointed this week with Lanka Hospitals. Earning money from health shouldn’t be hospitals main motive after all it’s a semi government hospital under the ministry of finance. The management also shouldn’t play with the lives of cancer patients because in the blood cancer unit initiated and managed by Dr Saman Hewamana the Sisters/Nursing staff are well trained. Because the hospital was full the management had decided to admit patients with other illness to this highly specialised ward for the sake of earning money or making profits having forgotten the values of health service . What the management should have done is to get the ward repaired, do maintenance work when there are less patients. They also should give a well deserved rest to the hard working specialised sisters/nurses or send them for special training since caring for cancer patients is highly specialised and life saving . No one should be allowed to mess with the cancer ward, its precious staff or even its environment. There are rules and regulations when you enter a cancer ward. One has to change slippers, wear masks, children aren’t allowed inside, several visitors cannot enter at once, you cannot take food from outside. These preventive measures are taken to safeguard cancer patients from infections , because infections could kill. Since, I was diagnosed with cancer, I only remove my double masks just before I record my Television programme for News 1st. The producer checks with the guests if they are suffering from a cold or cough or have any other infections. They understand. Imagine my anger and utter disappointment when I realised the hospital abusing and messing with the cancer ward when we continue to battle for our lives. Hospital must not stoop to such low levels. They must stop playing cat and mouse games when the doctor is away on holiday. This is not what we expect from Lanka Hospital or any other hospital in this country. They must be more duty bound. It is their responsibility.
Let me end with the words of Alexandra Ocasio – Cortez, US Representative of New York. Speaking at a hearing in the United States, She said “Peoples lives are not commodities” Showing a mobile phone She told the hearing “This is a commodity. Her daughters life was not. Peoples lives are not commodities. When we talk about economics there is something known as a demand curve with an elasticity. And with every other commodity , you can say how is this phone worth to you? You can say $100, $200. You can buy a Nokia phone. You cannot have a phone at all. But, you cannot ask the question how much you pay to be alive? How much would you pay to live? Because the answer is everything. The answer is you will pay $ 10, You will pay $ 1000. You will go into debt. You will do anything to live. And thats what makes the price of medicine different than the I phone”
Lanka Hospitals, Do You hear her?
