Expats denied treatment during daytime

Manama : A health centre in Muharraq Governorate is allegedly refusing treatment for expatriate patients during daytime to avoid “overcrowding.”

However, this issue does not exist in the evening hours, a source told DT News. 

According to the source from the Hidd health centre not all expatriates were denied treatment there, adding that some expatriates who fit a certain description were allowed treatment.

“There is a certain criteria for expatriates to be allowed treatment at the centre. They were asked certain questions such as the size of the company they work for and whether they live with their family or not. These measures were adopted recently to reduce the number of patients visiting the facility. A lot of Indians and Pakistanis come here for treatment and has caused overcrowding,” the source revealed. 

According to the existing law, citizens and residents can seek treatment at the health centre of the area they are registered at. 

“The centres provide curative and preventive services for the family and community and would register the names of all citizens and residents in their areas for treatment,” a statement on Ministry of Health website reads. The Ministry is yet to respond to DT News’ inquiry. 

Expat alleges discrimination

An expatriate executive claimed that the Hidd health centre staff refused him treatment without giving proper explanation. His request to meet the management was also refused by the staff members. 

Muhammed, a Hidd resident, claimed that the treatment he received from the staff was “unprofessional and discriminatory.”

Explaining the incident, he said, “I went in seeking a follow-up appointment to treat a condition in my ear. The staff there asked me how many employees are in the company I worked for and upon hearing my reply he declined to give me an appointment.

“He did not give me any explanation and told me to go to a health centre in Manama. I told him that I had used a medicine in my ear and had to meet the doctor to remove it. I could not delay it and don’t want to go to a different doctor as I was under treatment of this doctor. But he didn’t seem to care at all,” said Muhammed. 

“I have been coming here for years and if they want to ban me from going there they should have at least given me a proper notice. Instead they are letting their staff decide who gets treatment there,” he said. 

“When I went back in the night, a female employee who was at service told me that the treatment I needed was available only in the morning. In the end, she gave me an appointment for the morning the next day, but it was too late, the treatment did not work because the medicine had worn off and right now I can hardly hear through my right ear,” he added.