Make Hospital Visits More Bearable

ALL types of ailments befall senior citizens as they age. I am 65 and regularly visit the govenment clinic (Tanglin Clinic) near Bukit Aman.

I suffer from diabetes, arthritic and rheumatic problems, asthma and, of late, gastritis.

My monthly visits have been, to say the least, pleasant and satisfying with the level of service rendered. Even the dental clinic provided exemplary treatment when I had three decaying and broken teeth extracted.

On Dec 29, having been referred to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for an endoscopy and colonoscopy by the clinic, I left my home in Taman Tun Dr Ismail at 7.30am for the 9am appointment at the Gastro Hepato Clinic. At 8.15am I collected my queue number and went to another counter to register. Here I got another queue number around 8.45am. I then queued up to see a doctor.

Around 10.45am, I managed to see the doctor and subsequently got my prescription slip at 11am. Going down to collect my medication I was stunned to see about 300 patients waiting to collect their medicine.

As there were not many chairs, at least about 30 patients (mostly senior citizens) were standing, leaning against the wall waiting for their number to appear on the electronic screen.

I was given a senior citizen queue number and was told that I would not have to wait long. After an hour, my number appeared on the screen. I was by then exhausted, having had no breakfast. As I am a diabetic, this made me hypoglycaemic.

All in all, it took four hours to see a doctor and collect my medication.

It took me another hour to reach home. I was told other harrowing stories by senior citizens who had to wait only to be told to come the next day to collect their medication.

I saw some handicapped, physically challenged men and sick women in wheelchairs being pushed around either by their children, grandchildren or equally aged spouses. What a way to treat senior citizens!

I suggest the following:

* Special counters for senior citizens at the clinics and the pharmacies to collect medicine;

* Decentralise the pharmacies according to the clinics to prevent congestion at the central pharmacy;

* Doctors keep to the schedule and see the patients at or near the appointment time;

* Reduce red tape and unnecessary queuing;

* Create special parking lots for the disabled and ensure that these parking lots are not “hijacked” by normal persons;

* Provide drinking water fountains at strategic locations, and,

* Open more counters to dispense medication.

V. SIVA Kuala Lumpur