Polman Puskesmas Rejects Patients because They Are Not Yet 2 Years Old

Polman, Sulbarkita.com - Massenga Community Health Center (Puskesmas), in Polewali Village, makes a unique policy in determining whether a patient is hospitalized. They will not receive hospitalization if the patient is under two years old.
As experienced by Mulyadi, 26 years old, a resident of Ammasangan Village, Binuang District, when he was about to treat his son, Ulaiyah Azkadina, 1 year 5 months, at the puskesmas. According to Mulyadi, local health officials said they could not take care of their children's hospitalization because they were not yet two years old.

"Patients who may be admitted must be aged two years and above. I was told to bring Ulaiyah to the hospital, "Mulyadi said when met at the Massenga Health Center on Jl. Sports, Polewali, on Wednesday, January 29, 2020.

Mulyadi said that he was very disappointed with the rejection because his parents needed extra handling. Moreover, before he was also rejected at the Binuang Health Center because the room was full. "My son's condition is already critical, his black eyes rise to the top and his body has convulsions and high heat," he said.

Baca juga:
Balita Penderita Kejang Ditolak 2 Puskesmas di Polman
Sulit Urus BPJS di Polman, Rasul Terancam Dipulangkan dari RS

Polman Head of Health Office Andi Suaib Nawawi claimed to have checked information about the rejection because of the age of the patient to the Massenga Health Center. He also did not dispute this information and stated that the Massenga Community Health Center misunderstood its duties. "This is the official's mistake in understanding the service procedures," Suaib said when contacted on his cellphone, Wednesday 28 January.

Suaib stressed that patients under five years old must still be served. It's just that they must be separated from other patients, especially adults, so they are not infected with other diseases. "But it cannot be refused because all patients must be served. Even if there are no new beds, they are referred or if necessary, they must be handled first, then referred, ”he said.

Suaib then apologized for the Massenga Puskesmas policy. "I, as the head of the health department, apologize," he said. "Wherever there may be no health facility that refuses patients."

Ahmad G.