Treat patients first, demand payment later, health worker told

Akim Oda (Eastern Region), 10th May ?99 ?

Health workers have been advised not to refuse to treat patients because they have no money.

The Birim South District Director of Health Services, DR L. K. Senaya, said, "the 'cash and carry', notwithstanding, a patient must be treated first, and if later found not in a position to pay, could be declared a pauper and allowed to go".

DR Senaya, who was reacting to a question at the end of two days training of "focal persons on disease surveillance" at Akim Oda, said if the case is an emergency, the patient should be treated first and money demanded later.

More than 56 participants drawn from the Akim Manso and Akim Achiase sub-districts attended the training, which was organised by the Birim South District Health Management Team (DHMT).

It was to update the knowledge of the participants on the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and target diseases.

DR Senaya urged the participants to keep an eye on the environment and assured them that their transport expenses would be refunded to them any time they travelled to report cases of suspected diseases in their areas.

Mr Paul Adwere, District Technical Officer, Disease Control, reminded the participants of their role as front liners and called on them to be prepared to report cases of suspected diseases early.

He urged them to educate the people to be aware that the root causes of most diseases is lack of personal hygiene, drinking of impure water and poor sanitation to enable them to learn to live in a healthy environment at all times.