Patients with liquor related ailments:

Alcoholics to foot the bill

The approval of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been obtained to levy a fee from alcoholics for medical treatment offered to them for alcoholic related ailments at alcoholic at State hospitals from January 1, 2011. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

Minister Sirisena said this is a measure to control the use of alcohol envisaged in the Mathata Thitha program, to establish discipline in the country and to save public funds. He expressed these views at the Provincial Health Ministers' Summit held at the National Blood Centre yesterday.

The Government has no intention whatsoever to strengthen the treasury using monies collected from alcoholics.

The majority of the road accidents are caused by drunk drivers. A large amount of public funds have to be spent for treatment and drugs for these victims and on alcoholics when they fall sick.

According to Minister Sirisena, from next year arrangements will be made to display price lists of certain expensive medical treatment and drugs at State hospitals.

The Government spends vast amounts for treatment and drugs but the public including patients and doctors do not know how much money is spent over drugs and medical treatment. Sometimes the Government spends over Rs.4 million for one cancer patient and some of the drugs given to them cost Rs 300,000 or Rs 400,000.

This will raise awareness and help save public funds.

Arrangements will also be made from January next year to establish a proper mechanism to coordinate local and foreign donations.

At the moment there are a lot of local and foreign donations from organizations and individuals but there is no system to make use of them sans corruption and malpractice.

A proper mechanism will be set up using the internet to obtain donations and make use of them to the maximum.

For example there are only 12 wards at the Horana Hospital and 11 of them had been built by donors.

Only one ward had been built by the Government, the Minister added. NG