Hospital

If you're talking about one of the few country that still has polio cases and untreated illnesses, with over-populated region, you can't compare with the country I'm currently residing in.

The poverty here is beyond (any Malaysian, at the very least) imagination. The neighbouring apartment (which was named Nik's Paradise) housed their security guard on the basement floor complete with a family (toddlers, a grandmother, a wife, another sister) sleeping on the floor.The only thing they have out of public eye is the basement toilet.

Slumdogs everwhere
But their condition is not as bad as those living out in the open. Remember Slumdog Millionaire? Its not just in Mumbai, you know. Even the workers here are so poor even eating outside will make you feel guilty, they'll have rice only with curry. Not even a slice of cucumber. While we're walloping kambing beriyani. Its hard life here for them.

So you can just imagine the health condition of the people.
Straightaway you'll imagine third-class-rated service of the hospital, long buzzes of queues, heady waiting halls waiting to infect one another and whopping bills.

Expecting the worst
Last Friday I had the chance to visit the local government hospital, as the husband had to do some ENT check-ups (he's ok btw).

The hospital was over-crowded, still, but the service was really fast. By fast it does not discount good treatment.

I believe in government hospital. I know the best doctors are still in govt hospitals, the best equipment and latest technology are all set there.But ofcourse, medical treatment is relative~ anywhere in the world you'll sometimes get good doctors, bad doctors, quack doctors. Sometimes it just luck. But the only thing that makes the difference is the service in between. Nothing can really riles you up like a bad mannered government counter person.

But I'm amazed how good the admin staff in Manipal treats the patients here, we're talking about ten-fold of the number of normal patient in Malaysia (keyword: overpopulated illnesses) and we're talking about a very effective system.

One thing for sure: they don't just make patients wait not knowing for what, for so long.
What happened here, if I may elaborate briefly is: After the the registration, my husband was told to be present at ENT departmentin few minutes, and upon reaching the ENT dept, he was brought straightaway to the doctor. His file was brought up even before we got there.

The husband was referred to an ENT specialist, and thereafter he was referred to another specialist accompanied by the same ENT specialist. Complete with the microb test. And then the dispensary and the bills (of equiv. RM5) were va va voom as well. All we had to do is to get there without getting lost. All in twenty minutes worth of wait. Memang laju.

I had armed myself with a book (just in case), but I haven't had the use to. I was simply impressed with the service. I was told by friends of the husband of an advise while traveling in India: expect the worst. But 'tis not the case for the hospital service.

Maybe Ismail Merican can himself try to believe, that India has a system in her houses of health, that Malaysians can learn of, but sadly, he was only here to visit the campus.