Friday, Jun 28, 2013
Ajman: Thousands of residents, majority of whom do not have medical insurance, descended on Gulf Medical College (GMC) Hospitals in Ajman, Sharjah, and Fujairah today, to take advantage of the whole-day Free Mega Health Camp offered at the centres.
People from all walks of life, mostly blue-collar workers, started queuing beginning 7.30am to make it to the 9am start of the camp. Services such as free blood pressure check-up, blood sugar check-up, HCV test (Hepatitis C Virus), and Body Mass Index Check-up were offered.
“In Ajman, I think only about 40 per cent of the population are insured. Majority of the people you’re seeing today are uninsured, and do not have health coverage as such so they make use of this kind of offering,” Akbar Thumbay, Director of Operations Healthcare and Retail Division at GMC Hospitals, told Gulf News.
Universal health insurance coverage is not yet mandatory in Ajman. The lack of medical insurance cover often pushes people with low income to defer seeking medical help until the last minute. This practice should be avoided, Dr Manvir Singh, Medical Director of GMC Hospital, said.
“This is our social responsibility to our society so that the people can come, they can avail the services. That’s the reason the whole hospital is functioning today,” Singh told Gulf News.I
In Sharjah, residents with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension made up majority of the patients served at the camp. But the dental department was busy, too, as many patients flocked to the centre for cleaning and extraction, Dr Sameer Kumar, Manager, Operations at GMC Medical and Dental Speciality Centre, said.
Free consultation and check-up in the Cardiology, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, ENT (Ears, Nose, Throat), Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Dermatology, and Family Medicine services were also available today . Follow-up check-ups for patients served today will be free in the next 15 days. Laboratory tests and radiology were also offered on discounted rates.
Patients did not have to worry if doctors prescribed them medicines as Malabar Gold and Diamonds offered Dh25,000 worth of free medicine for the camp. Electric Way provided free ultrasound services and ECG [electrocardiogram] for patients with heart problems as well.
Among those who benefitted was Pakistani expatriate Riast Ali Rehmat, 53. He said has been experiencing chest pain for several days now but could not go to a doctor for lack of insurance cover and limited finances. The Pakistani tailor, who is in Ajman on a visit visa, was one of the early birds who availed of the services.
Nigerian expatriate Angela Yakubu came to the hospital to have her sick four-year-old daughter checked. “This health camp is good because it enables us to save money because we have no insurance,” the housewife said.
By Janice Ponce de Leon Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
