I can’t believe it’s been only a week since I wrote my last
blog. I feel like it’s been a month.
Well, I had a situation that one person I am very close to was taken to an
emergency room 3 days ago. He started to
shake really badly due to some kind of nerve failure and stayed at the hospital
all day. It was my first experience
going to a hospital in Guatemala, and it frustrated me so much.
When I entered the emergency room, there were about 30
people waiting to be seen by a doctor, and all the doctors were either chatting
on the hallway with their colleagues or reading newspaper. I couldn’t believe that was the “emergency” room. My friend started to shake so bad and his
lips started to turn white. He begged
one of the doctors to take a look at him.
The doctor said he didn’t work on that floor and left. So he begged another doctor who worked on
that floor to help him. He said he would
come soon, but of course he kept chatting with another doctor. So it was totally out of my character to do
such a thing, but I entered the room where all the doctors were chatting and
told them to stop chatting and work in English ( I was so mad that Spanish didn’t
even come out). If they don’t want to
work, they shouldn’t be there. There are many people waiting while they were all waisting thier time. They told me to leave the hospital, which I was forced
to after this.
As I was waiting outside, one patient who was there when all
that happened come outside and said that doctors left my friend suffering
longer because they got mad about what I did, but eventually gave him an injection
after his mom begging them to take care of him. He said that he was sorry that
my friend had to suffer longer, but thanked me for saying what he always wanted
to say every time he came to a hospital. When my friend came out from the
hospital, he was laughing and told me that I nearly killed him by causing a
problem with doctors and said hospitals are like this in Guatemala. People have to beg to be seen by
doctors. Usually older doctors are
better and more compassionate.
I believe that healthcare is a human right. People have a right to be taken care of when
they are sick. It was a very frustrating
experience and hope that it is NOT like in all other hospitals.
Wow...that's terrible. However, glad your friend is doing ok. There appears to be no empathy. I guess they know the people don't have money to pay, so they don't care.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your friend. I do hope that he gets better soon. It's a shame that it takes so long for the physicians to get their act together. I can only assume that the medical malpractice insurance doesn't exist there - no is it taken seriously. It sounds like the patient's will have to be on their deathbed before immediate assistance is given.
ReplyDeleteI've always said that I do not want to get sick anywhere outside my insurance network, let alone during an international trip. The standards in International countries is just not the same.
Good luck to you and your friend for the remainder of your time there. I'm sure he thanks you for stepping up for him. Please be careful.