It is a small village in the kecamatan of Tambusai, Kabupaten Rokan Hulu in the Province of Riau, Sumatra. During the Padri Wars of 1830's , Tuanku Tambusai (aka known as Fakeh Hj Muhammad Salleh ) fought the Dutch forces together with Imam Bonjol and Tuanku Rao in West Sumatra and in Northern Sumatra .The last defence was in Benteng 7 Lapis,Daludalu which fell in 1838. He escaped capture and came to Malaya. He was buried in Rasah in 1882.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Private vs Public Hospital
I have been going to and fro the hospitals for the last decade quite frequently whenever my ageing father is down with a number of illnesses that require treatment and hospitalisation both public and private. The most glaring difference between the two is of course the charges incurred whenever he is discharged. Nobody likes to be hospitalised unless one has to be admitted for one reason or another, and since the last decade my father had been in and out of hospitals for many many occasions that I could well remember, whether in Seremban, Petaling Jaya or Kuala Lumpur. And this Ramadhan he is hospitalised again when all of a sudden he became very weak and shivering after a nap one afternoon. The strange thing this time is that the doctor told me to take him home after being wheeled into the emergency by ambulance and with the understanding that I should bring him again to the hospital Seremban should his condition warrants it. I suppose on that day the number of emergency cases were too many that hospital beds were at a premium. True to what was promised, I had to rush him to the same hospital at 2.00 am in the wee hours of the morning because he had the chill again. Upon being warded at 3.00 am and being Ramadhan, I had to take my "Sahur" at the restaurant which was opened nearby and then went to my sister's house in Paroi.I managed to get help from friends to get him transferred from the third class ward to the first class ward after my father had to spend two sleepless nights because the conditions in the ward hardly enabled him to get some sleep. I had always called Seremban General Hospital an unfriendly hospital when compared to other hospitals because I had to climb a hundred over steps in order to visit the ward from the parking area. What more if I had to do it in the heat of the day in Ramadhan. Often times I had to stop for my breath before stepping out again, because of the steep climb. I noticed that a new multi-storey car park is being built by the road leading up to the hospital and it would be completed in two years. By then I hope I can be sure of getting a parking bay without having to stop for my breath. For now it is still an unfriendly hospital to me.
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7 comments:
Sad to note that your dad has been unwell during this Ramadhan month, Akhi Halim, but proud to see a son doing all he can (includes climbing more than 100 steps while fasting to visit him) to ensure that his father is well-cared for. The bill from a government and a private hospital will definitely differ very much - like the difference between a little hole and a big tear in the pocket - but it's the difference in the quality of service rendered that matters most. Aside from the fact that a government hospital has to deal with a huge number of patients, I still don't understand why
the attitude of the staff in government hospitals towards the sick should be less 'soothing' than that of their counterparts in the private sector.Not in all cases of course.
Hope you dad gets well soon for the hariraya. Selamat hariraya maaf lahir batin.
Ya Akhi Norzah,
Like any son worthy of still having a father to serve, indeed this Ramadhan had been really a trying one for me and my sister, taking turns to visit him in hospital only during the visiting hours.
By the Grace of ALLAH S.W.T. he is going to be discharged one day following Merdeka Day, Alhamdulillah. I have seen the quality of service in both hospitals and everything has a price. Nevertheless I hope our Govt will not make it difficult for people to obtain medical and hospital services at an affordable rate in future, bearing in mind that the costs of providing healthcare has been increasing astronomically of late and the govt has to keep costs down because more and more are going to public hospitals nowadays.
Salam Aidilfitri, Maaf Lahir Batin. Salam.
AHS
I need to echoe Norzah's admiration for you, being a good son. The cost for alternative hospital is gettin prohibitive almost to most people, but there it is. I have often wondered why our Government does not go more into semi privatised facilities, like what Univerity Malaya Hospital does.
The free medical cares provided by industries to their staff and families are a contributing factor to the exorbitant fees at the private hospitals. The companies simply pays for whatever bills submitted by their staff as long as the sums are below below their maximum entitlement.And the private hospitals know the maximum.
Only government can help to offer reasonable services.
Dear Pak Cik,
It is a God given duty that is obligatory for all human beings to care for their parents especially when they are infirmed and ageing. I shudder to think that the future for the ageing is not getting its due from the Govt bearing in mind that society's values are changing for the worse.
Expensive and almost prohibitive is the byword where private hospitals are concerned and it is governed by supply and demand. The Govt can only bring down the demand by providing equally competent and good facilities as its obligation is to provide affordable healthcare for the masses.
Dear Hal,
The advantage of a Public Hospital is in getting like treatment from any one of them. A govt Pensioner ( read: my wife ) had initially been to Tanglin ( an outpatient hosp in town) . She had been referred to Selayang , UH, IJN and now PutraJaya. It all depends on ailments and availability of needs. This happened over time and all following our requests where to go. Eventually we can consolidate. We can just go to the one with modern facilities ( PutraJaya) or for special needs (IJN)
The treatment received all these years ( professional opinions, facilities, friendliness, medicines) is at par with priv hosps ( but at practically no costs as per entitlement) It would cost a bomb otherwise!
Looking after aged parents is a big responsibility. Not many have done what you did. Choice is not an option. Just keep at it buddy. You can see in their eyes how they appreciate it, you can tell. You get the satisfaction of having accomplished something great, something out of the ordinary which others are not privileged to experience. Keep at it!
Dear Hank,
It is a Blessing for anyone who is still able to have a father to serve at our age. Thanks for the encouragement. Actually it is rooted in one's faith because if we serve our living parents it is also serving ALLAH S.W.T., it is with that guidance that sustains my strength. Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin.
Dear Hal,
Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Maaf Zahir Batin.
May all the divine blessings of ALLAH SWT, the Almighty be bestowed upon you, Nafisah and all the family for the ensuing year and beyond.
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