This is why governments around the globe continue to invest heavily in their health sector to deliver the best treatment possible.
Also, accessing timely treatment is vital to the overall health of patients. In fact, this is why first aid is encouraged to help those in need before they find their way to health facilities.
Thus, denying people the right to treatment at health facilities especially those without Police escort only complicates the issue, while increasing the risk of fatalities.
We are not medical practitioners, but according to health experts, timely arrival at health facilities also minimises the risks. In cases of emergency, late arrival at health facilities makes case management difficult while prolonging the necessary time needed for such operation, thus sometimes leading to fatalities.
Recently, the Office of Inspector General of Police issued a press release informing the public that henceforth all health facilities should respond to emergencies upon arrival at various health facilities in the country without waiting for police escort as it used to be the practise.
This move follows correspondence from the Ministry of Health mandating that no patient in need of urgent care shall be denied or delayed assistance for lack of police escort. This is a welcome development.
Also, it is in the broader context that everyone has the right to timely and adequate treatment at any given time.
Thus, this is indeed a welcome development and we commend them for their foresight, taking into consideration this policy of having police escort has brought challenges or even resulted in cases that leaves much to be desired.
The issue of having to find a police escort in some areas causes fatalities that could have been addressed. In some instances, people would escort patients to health facilities without police escort only to be denied the requirement they deserve. This would lead to fatalities given the utmost emergency of such patients’ treatment.
Investing in the health and wellbeing of the citizenry calls for a collaborative approach. We all have a stake in ensuring that good health approaches are not only delivered but practised across the country.
Health is like a foundation on which all other development sits on. Without it, forget about development. It is therefore critical for it to be accorded the importance it deserves.
We all know that sometimes this process entails having to drive all the way to look for police escort, given the distance in some communities and Police Stations.
Public health approach to managing emergencies cannot be overstated. It is true that in emergencies, lives may be lost that could have been saved. So having the need to find police escort in some areas will only prolong the suffering of the patients and in some cases lead to fatalities.
This is why health officials encourage first aid treatment mainly designed to help patients before they arrive at health facilities.
In the same vein, we extend gratitude to the Ministry of Health for their dedication and readiness to respond to the needs of Gambians especially when it comes to delivering quality health care. Together, we can improve the country’s health care sector to the envy of the world.