Why Pay for State Ambulance

I HAVE a serious complaint that I would like to raise in The Namibian.

Saturday, April 17 somebody was sick, believing that he suffered

from Malaria because he had just arrived from the Kavango Region.

I called the ambulance around 21h00, and, to my surprise, the

lady I talked to over the phone after taking all the details asked

who will pay the fees.

 

I then asked: 'How much we are supposed to pay? I was shocked to

hear that the amount payable is N$80 for the ambulance to come to

our place and again N$16 to take the patient to the hospital.

 

We only had N$30, which we think will be used to pay for the

card at the hospital.

 

She then advised me even rather to go and fetch a taxi.

 

Now imagine! Should we get a taxi, and all the money will be

gone and nothing left for the card.

 

This patient is somebody who is unemployed, and now I want to

know that if theState ambulance is so expensive and we are required

to pay the amount in cash (at the time) what will happen to our

nation? We have a lot of people who are not working and pensioners

and I believe they are the State's responsibility and if the State

can't help us, where should we go? Again, this rule was never

advertised anywhere because a lot of people I contacted heard it

for the first time.

 

And I myself last year called the ambulance for a sick person at

my place but we didn't pay a cent.

 

Please, I want feedback from any official in the Ministry of

Health and also would like to request the Government to re-consider

this decision.

 

Because a lot of people will be affected due to the fact that

unemployment is so high and not every one is working.

 

Theresa

 

Note: Name and address supplied - Ed.

 

I called the ambulance around 21h00, and, to my surprise, the lady

I talked to over the phone after taking all the details asked who

will pay the fees.I then asked: 'How much we are supposed to pay? I

was shocked to hear that the amount payable is N$80 for the

ambulance to come to our place and again N$16 to take the patient

to the hospital.We only had N$30, which we think will be used to

pay for the card at the hospital.She then advised me even rather to

go and fetch a taxi.Now imagine! Should we get a taxi, and all the

money will be gone and nothing left for the card.This patient is

somebody who is unemployed, and now I want to know that if theState

ambulance is so expensive and we are required to pay the amount in

cash (at the time) what will happen to our nation? We have a lot of

people who are not working and pensioners and I believe they are

the State's responsibility and if the State can't help us, where

should we go? Again, this rule was never advertised anywhere

because a lot of people I contacted heard it for the first time.And

I myself last year called the ambulance for a sick person at my

place but we didn't pay a cent.Please, I want feedback from any

official in the Ministry of Health and also would like to request

the Government to re-consider this decision.Because a lot of people

will be affected due to the fact that unemployment is so high and

not every one is working.TheresaNote: Name and address supplied -

Ed.

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