DOCTORS at Bahrain’s main hospital have been urged to be kind and sympathetic to patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
Bahrain Society for Sickle Cell Disease Patient Care chairman Zakreya Al Kadhem also requested medics at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) to show respect to patients who ‘suffer from chronic pain’.
Mr Al Kadhem’s remarks followed a protest by around 25 patients at the SMC Hereditary Blood Disorder Centre on Wednesday night.
In a letter addressed to the Health Ministry, a copy of which was secured by the GDN, the patients said they did not want to be treated by a doctor at the complex who, they claimed, was ‘arrogant’.
“We request not to assign (the doctor) for our treatment as he is arrogant and deliberately delays our medications,” they said in the letter. “We have submitted complaints to the management at the Genetic Blood Diseases Centre, but to no avail.”
The GDN learnt that the issue was internally resolved after almost three hours by SMC doctors who pacified the patients and attended to them.
Mr Al Kadhem told the GDN yesterday that he was aware of the incident.
“Several patients claim that the doctor has been treating them with contempt for more than three months. He has been apparently shouting at them and insulting them for no reason,” he said.
“I had earlier directed them to complain through proper channels, but they were disappointed as the situation was not resolved.
“In my opinion, the protest could have been avoided if doctors assigned to SCD patients were empathetic to their condition.”
The blood disease is one of the most prevalent genetic disorders in Bahrain, with 8,664 Bahrainis – 4,271 male and 4,393 female – suffering from it. Characterised by abnormal blood cells that have a tendency to take on a rigid, sickle-like shape, SCD leaves sufferers prone to a number of acute health problems such as infection, attacks of severe pain known as ‘sickle-cell crisis’, stroke and even death.
“Doctors must show some respect to these patients who are not only coping with severe pain, but are also afraid of losing their lives, jobs and family. Provoking them is not right.
“SCD patients – and I am one – have a chronic and dangerous disease that may lead to early death if care is not provided in a timely manner.”
The GDN had in the past highlighted issues from the community with Mr Al Kadhem raising voice against SCD patients being branded as ‘addicts’ to morphine, a prescribed pain medication for the condition.
“I request doctors to explain the treatment to patients, speak to them calmly, give them attention, not threaten and challenge them,” added Mr Al Kadhem.
One of the men who took part in the strike told the GDN that they did not want to be treated by the doctor, an SMC senior resident.
“He makes us wait for long hours without medication and calls us drug addicts,” said the 43-year-old who requested anonymity.
“We tried approaching the SMC authorities with a complaint, but no one listened to us and so we protested.
“There are two other doctors who are also disrespectful and inhumane and we don’t want to be treated by them.
“Their attitude is worse than the pain we suffer owing to the disease.”
SCD treatment protocol in the country has been revised several times over the years with new medications added to the list.
A comment from the Health Ministry is awaited.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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