Hospital to charge fees

The National National

By LULU MARK
THE West New Britain health authority (WNBPHA) has done away with the system of free healthcare services, chairman Dr Mathias Sapuri says.
Sapuri, who is also the United Nations in-country physician and chief obstetrician and gynecologist at the Pacific International Hospital, said the 2019 healthcare service fee structure approved by the board was introduced and implemented as of Jan 1.
He said there were different fees for the various services which ranged from K2-K50 on average.
“We are not doing anything new, we are going back to the old system where you put a little money back into the system,” he said.
He said in reality the cost of healthcare was high but in the public health system the Government had paid most of it already.
Sapuri said the people would contribute a small amount through the fee.
“It’s not going to cover the cost of medicine or the services or pay the doctors and the nurses and staff.”
He said those exempted from paying were children up to 12 years old, adults over 65 years old, patients with tuberculosis, HIV, diabetes, cancer, asthma, and psychiatric conditions and patients referred from rural health facilities.
Sapuri said patients from rural areas would have an exemption authorised by the hospital management team that looked after them.
“We will also charge a little bit more for stupidity.
“If you drink and drive and you get into an accident and causing injury to yourself, we will not stop you from coming to the hospital. We will look after you and do everything for you but you’ll pay a little bit more.”
He said men or women being hurt as a result of accidents related to domestic violence would also be charged higher fees. For example, according to the fee structure, in the accidents and emergency department the fee was K10 but for injuries due to one’s own fault, the fee was K50.
He said the introduction of the fees would create some sense of responsibility in the people to take charge and care of their health and also work hard as there were too many lazy people around.