Modilon patients to pay new fees

THE Madang Modilon General Hospital has imposed new medical fees effective  from Tuesday.
Chief executive officer Sr Christine Gawi said the interim fees would be dropped when the hospital received its part of government funding under the free medical services policy.
Gawi said the decision to increase fees was made before the government announced its intention to provide free services at public hospitals.
 “We need to survive as a hospital. If we don’t collect fees, we will be in crisis,” she said.
She said in January, the hospital spent K230,000 on drugs.
The money spent was from medical fees collected.
She said the hospital had not charged additional fees since 1995 and the increase was an addition of 0.05% against costs of goods and services.
Patients who went to get treatment at the hospital were surprised at the new costs.
Many said they had no choice but to pay in order to get treatment.
A local music engineer Jacob Kawage was one of the patients who was surprised.
“I will die if I complain, I need to get treated so I must pay,” Kawage said.