Hospital refuses patient

From Kompas

It was harrowing to read about Abigail, a woman who delivered a baby in the corridors of the Malalayang General Hospital. In the present era of reform, there are still some people who refuse to help their fellow humans. More and more people have become selfish. Doctors in charge of the emergency room in any hospital must prioritize the safety of the patients, especially those needing surgery.

The decision by the attending doctor in the emergency room to refuse a patient unable to pay some money in advance was very much against humanity, and calls for a strong warning from the Indonesian Medical Association and the health ministry.

The head of North Sulawesi health services, Alan S. Umboh, said that the director of the Malalayang General Hospital pocketed Rp 4.3 billion earmarked for health services for the poor. Where has this huge amount of money gone? Why did the Malalayang General Hospital refuse to accept a patient? Was it because she was poor?

R. DANANG, Jakarta