Hospitalized patients are being asked to buy medical equipment, including medicines and bandages, as they are out of stock at Mater Dei Hospital, according to relatives.
More than 20 people described on social media having had to leave their loved one’s bedside to go to a pharmacy at the request of hospital staff.
They shared their experiences on the Women for Women Facebook group after a mother said she was asked to buy medicine for her sick baby.
“My baby was admitted to the hospital with a virus and they asked me to go buy an antibiotic… because they don’t have any,” the mother wrote.
Martin Balzan, president of the Malta Medical Association, said the situation where patients had to buy medicines outside the hospital was “common but not common”.
He said this was due to several reasons.
More than 20 people described on social media having had to leave their loved one’s bedside to go to a pharmacy at the request of hospital staff.
Firstly, there have been shortages of medicines at a European level and Brexit has impacted the availability of UK brands.
“This can also happen when there is abnormal consumption of a medicine or because there is a tender process and the medicine is stuck in bureaucracy,” he said .
One woman described how “a relative of mine was at the ITU and asked for medicines that were out of stock at the hospital but available at a private pharmacy! Absurd!”
Another woman said she was asked to buy bandages for her father after an operation.
“Recently we encountered a family member who needed special bandages to put in stitches (sic). They told us to go buy them from outside because the hospital didn’t have any in stock…there were times when the sizes we needed were out of stock,” she said.
What would happen if the family could not afford medicine?
Many talked about the expense and wondered what would happen if a family couldn’t afford the drug.
One woman wrote: “My children were admitted to the hospital and I had to buy medicine and other essentials for them. Thanks to my family and friends who supported me, otherwise I wouldn’t have made it.
While many were shocked at the idea of having to purchase medication while hospitalized, others showed their appreciation for the public hospital.
“My brother has been hospitalized since December last year. Yes, we have been asked several times to buy him medicine… every month we spend around €70 on medicine alone but, compared to all the care and attention he receives, it’s ultimately nothing. He is still alive thanks to the dedication of the hospital’s medical staff.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said it was looking into the matter.
Last month, the Standing Committee of European Doctors issued a statement calling for concerted EU action to secure the supply of medicines.
“Availability of medicines has been a long-standing challenge in the EU. However, national medical associations have reported that shortages have become systemic, affecting all types of medications. Last winter, almost all EU countries reported shortages of commonly used medicines, including antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatories and diabetes medicines,” the commission said.
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Image Source : timesofmalta.com