Day 2. Or is it day 3? Maybe day 5. I can’t remember how long I have been here, as it is all merged together is an unending blur. Everyday seems the same. We get injected with all kinds of needles, forced to take all kinds of medications and we are not allowed to question it. This is the life of a patient in a government hospital. We are too poor and uneducated to ‘understand’. Don’t you dare ask them something if they are on lunch. They have a right to lunch, but what about my basic Human Rights? I look around me and everything seems dull and dark. In the ward opposite mine, a lady is crying because she lost her baby. In the bed next to mine, a man is saying his final goodbyes to his family. I need to get out. I feel like a wilting flower, being held up by sticks, representing all medical staff and despite all their efforts to help me, it feels as if I am slowly dying on the inside. I have to wait hours to be treated and when I finally get seen to, it is rushed and not thorough enough, as other patients need to be seen to as well. They treat everyone as if you all have the same condition and if you question your health, you are being ungrateful and dramatic. Surely you know your body better than anyone else right? Now I am on my last and they are starting to be more helpful and compassionate. Where was this service when I needed it the most? This is the life of a patient in a government hospital. It is not easy.
Literature:
South Africa faces many challenges and problems regarding their health systems. One of the biggest strains the public health system struggles with is the fact that there are not enough funds from the government, so the management and health services are underdeveloped (Sanders, 2009). Public hospitals and primary level services are understaffed because governments cannot afford to employ more health care workers (Coovadia, 2009) . For patients, it seems like the health care workers are purposely delaying their treatment or are not bothered with them, when it reality, it’s because there are so many patients and not enough workers to see to all the patients. With the spread of many chronic diseases; South Africa having high rates of HIV, imposes at great burden on the already struggling and underdeveloped health system (Coovadia, 2009). To clarify, in the first paragraph, it was not written from personal experience, but rather a general assumption on what it feels like to be treated in the public health system in South Africa.
References:
Coovadia, H. (2009). The health and health system of South Africa: historical roots of current public health challenges. The Lancet, 817-834.
Sanders, D. (2009). Achieving the health development goals for South Africa: challenges and priorities. The Lancet, 1023-1031.
One thought on “Wilting flower -By Saadiqah Frieslaar”
Hello Saadiqah Frieslaar! You have an interesting approach to this assignment. In the first section you write from a patient’s point of view, describing how they feel and what challenges they meet in a governmental hospital. I think this is a great way to give others an insight in South Africa´s health care system. It is interesting that you use a metaphor to paint a picture of how it can be for patient`s in South Africa. You compare the feelings with a welting plant by saying; “I need to get out. I feel like a wilting flower, being held up by sticks, representing all medical staff and despite all their efforts to help me, it feels as if I am slowly dying on the inside”. The photo you have attached therefor perfectly reflects the content of your text. But I wonder if these ¨feelings¨ you are describing are based on personal experiences? Or is this a common belief for patient´s in the public health care system in South Africa? If it is your personal beliefs, you might want to mention that it’s a subjective meaning. For someone (including me) that has very little knowledge about the health system in South Africa, it might be important to emphasize if something is a common belief, or just your experience.
It is easy to understand the meaning of your text, especially because the first section is verbally written and therefor easy to understand. I would have commented on your writing style in the first section, with recommending a slightly more academic approach. But your second section has this approach and I think you writing in this section is great, it is also more flawless than you first section.