Ask for it. (Part 1) November 16, 2006

We all agree that there are serious problems in the Maldivian health system. Although Maldivian health care system needs massive over haul and modernization, it cannot be done overnight. It does not mean that we simply accept what ever is thrown at us.

Since it is only the beginning and it is too early to say the dernier cri, I would like to accentuate on the choices we make. By pretending that we don’t have any choice is accepting that we are ignoramuses. The essential, foremost and most pressing eventuality is that to make the right choice we need the right information to make informed decisions. It does make sense. It is our body, and we should be able to make our own decisions regarding it. It is our decisions and our choice that we make that can and will improve the standard of care, not only in this country alone, but has shown that it is the case everywhere else.

In the most developed countries such as the US, negligence and malpractice do happen. The only difference between those and that happen here is that in Maldives there is no such thing as making those involved in the “mishap” accountable. If every incidence is labeled as an “unfortunate accident” nothing will improve and ultimately we as the ones who use these services will suffer. So what can us, as users of a service, do about it?

In other parts of the developed world, more and more, doctors and service seekers (aka consumers) are materializing on the fact that the appointments that work best are those in which clients take an active and progressive approach rather than being a mere passive dummy. Four things are to be notified here:

1. Ask questions

2. Weighing the risks of a treatment

3. Weighing the benefits of a treatment and

4. Learning about their condition.

(to be continued…)

In the mean time here is an article to read. Please note that there is no organization that I know of that does Quality Assessment on the hospitals in Maldives.