Treatment in limbo as scan results delayed

ManamaAn expatriate patient, who was being treated at a health centre, is unable to continue treatment because of the long delays in getting his scan results.

The man has a sinusitis related complication. He had undergone a scan at a health centre in Muharraq Governorate 16 months ago but he never got the results.

According to him, a doctor from the health centre had sent him to take the scan, as the initial treatment did not improve his health.

Initially, the X-ray Department gave him a time-frame of two months but later informed him of delays.

“This happened in 2014, from what I remember the month was September or October, so it has been over 16 months. During that year I was suffering badly. I was sick on a daily basis. I have tried various home remedies and visited doctors numerous times. The doctor suggested that I take a scan. She explained that the scan report would help understand the cause of my illness,” said Mohammed.

“I followed up with the X-ray Department many times but each time they told me that the report was not ready. They told me that another health centre in Manama was tasked with analysing the scan. They took my phone number each time and promised that they will ask the centre in Manama to consider my case as an urgent one,” he explained.

“The last time I went there they told me that the scan results would not be useful since it had been taken long ago. So now they are asking me to retake it, but I am wondering how that would help my cause. If I retake it, the results may only come in after a long time and by then it will be useless,” he said.

“Due to cash crunch, I can’t afford to seek treatment from any private hospitals. So I am relying on the health centre. Last year, the Health Ministry mandated the annual fee for expatriates, so in a way I have paid and I think I deserve better treatment,” he added.

When contacted, a representative at the X-ray Department replied that Naeem Health Centre in Manama was responsible for the scan report. “We have done our part. The report is from Naeem and not from our side. We have sent the scan to Naeem but we have not got the report yet,” she added.