Deal with misbehaving medical personnel
Every year, there are reports of mistreatment and abuse of patients by medical personnel. A lot has been said about this but it looks like the problem is refusing to die.
The recent case in Mangochi, where locals have petitioned authorities on harsh treatment of patients, should not be treated as a remote and isolated case. This case, in which an expectant woman was harshly sent back by medical personnel and made to deliver in appalling condition, should be enough to jerk authorities into action.
Currently, the government is investing a lot in safe motherhood initiatives and, while this is the case, it just does not make sense that some unruly medical personnel should be working to defeat such efforts. Such health staffs are enemies of development and must not be left unpunished.
We believe that the Mangochi District Health Office and the District Commissioner have the means to trace these errant medical personnel, and make sure that they face disciplinary action within the legal bounds.
By holding the culprits responsible, the government will be sending out a strong message that waywardness in the health profession is no longer tolerated.
The country has lost productive citizens due to negligence as well as unwillingness to work by medical personnel. We have had cases of people even shunning health facilities and opting to deliver at unhealthy facilities simply because they do not want to be subjected to harsh treatment by medical personnel. This has been the case because, somehow, authorities have treated deviant medical personnel with leniency.
But, as a nation, we should not sit back and accept in our midst people who refuse to perform duties which they are employed and paid to do.
All we are saying is that those in authority must investigate the incident in Mangochi and, if the health personnel are found on the wrong side, they should be whipped, whipped hard until they remember the Hippocratic Oath they took when joining the profession.
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