By: Nyima Sillah
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), Dr. Ammar Al Jafari, has said the service fees at the country’s main referral hospital should be slightly increased.
“We will not touch the D25 ticket fees but other service fees within the hospital. I need people to understand me. How can I improve the hospital with no payment? All pregnant women, who come here to deliver, are free. This is the law,” the CMD told The Voice in an exclusive interview yesterday.
He stated that the decision to increase service fees has not been finalized, adding that he had discussed the price increment with the Ministry of Health but the ministry told him to prepare a proposal so it can be sent to the National Assembly.
“Perhaps, the proposal will be ready at the beginning of January 2024 and I am appealing in advance to the authorities to accept the proposal because I cannot proceed without the approval of the proposal. I want the government and lawmakers to allow me to attach a D200[fee] for pregnant women for delivery. From that money, I can buy a lot of medicines and consumables for all the patients,” Dr. Jafari explained.
The CMD pointed out that patients are charged D2000 for scanning at private clinics whilst they pay D200 at the EFSTH. This notwithstanding, he said, some patients are reluctant to pay and always blame the hospital for not having medical supplies and consumables.
“How can I get it,” CMD asked. He added: Every day, we need D100,000 for only medicines and consumables. Each day, we use D100,000 from the income of the hospital to buy medicines and consumables. How can I sustain that if I don’t increase the hospital’s income a little bit? How can I run the hospital? he asked. He continued: “I have eight beds at the ICU and each patient needs a lot of consumables every day.”
He explained that the ministry informed him that a lot of money has been earmarked for the hospital in the 2024 budget for medications but added that he is now paying a lot of money for medications and consumables.
“I need the patients to pay for the consumables when the patient goes for an operation. They should pay for the calendula. This is the issue in all countries. Here, we charge general minor surgery for D1000 and major for D2000 and when they go to the private clinics, they pay D40,000 to D50,000. I hope we can increase our prices a little bit,” the CMD said. He added: “I hope we increase general minor surgery to D2000 and major D3000. Laparoscopic surgery is a modern surgery that we charge D5000 and at private clinics, they charge D40,000. I hope we can increase that to D10,000. I cannot always sit and tell the government to help me. The patients have to understand they should help.”
