Monthly Archives: February 2009

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February 12, 2009

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My experiences, Ramblings about this & that!

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The inefficient queueing system at ADK Hospital

Early yesterday evening, I developed flu symptoms of some never-ending viral bug that’s been going around Male’. Since I am asthmatic, I’m always careful about seeing a doctor and getting prescribed medication before I develop wheezing symptoms.

So last night there I went with an aching head and a throat that was hurting like hell. I took the queue number for consultation. Mind you, that this is the token to get a token number to see the doctor. I had previously telephoned the hospital and found out that tokens for the doctor were still available. I sat down on one of those leathery cushiony chairs and waited out since there were around 10 or so token numbers ahead of me. I sat around for forty minutes (which ain’t easy when you are sick and want medical attention and just go home and lie on your bed) to find out when my turn came up that the tokens to be released for the doctor were over. Now lets do the math, 10 token numbers in forty minutes. There are five to six stations with token queue number displayed on top of them. Out of those clerks/receptionists were seated at four of the stations and work was been carried out at only three of them. So 40/10, it took around 4 minutes to process a token, which is quite unacceptable. I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but deemed as a private hospital which “cares about you when you need it most”, I don’t think that they are living up to their proclaimed image if a person has to wait for a token number for forty minutes. That’s worse than the bank queuing system. At least there, you won’t be about to fall at your feet because your body was undergoing a rapid defensive reaction. Nor do they charge you gruesome amounts of money for services rendered.

It was the same story this morning when i again trudged on my way to see the doctor. However, the difference this time was, I did get to see him after around 40 minutes at the token system and a couple of twenty minutes or so to actually consult with him.

I have seen them in action without the token system, and I would have to say that ADK was more efficient without it. Then we didn’t have to stay around for the receptionists/clerks to press their dainty little fingers on the “next” button to display the token number to be serviced.

I guess the millions of Rufiya that Nashid and his enterprise rake in every day doesn’t really allow them to build a more efficient environment for patients. Oh and before I forget, wasn’t he the one who criticized teachers for being “money-hungry” since they went on a strike to fight for their rights to be paid better salaries? Or maybe I might be more racked with fever than I thought to see myself paying a hefty sum of money to see a doctor at his hospital?

Oh maybe, Nashid isn’t a “money hungry politician”, but rather a “humble man” and a “philanthropist”, giving “free” or “affordable” and “quality” medical care for those who need it the most. Blech!

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February 4, 2009

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Bitchin’

Bitchin’ has become a way of life for us Maldivians. We bitch about stuff from next to nothing. For instance the fact that we have to get up every morning to go to work/school or wherever one has to be, the fact that your boss is just a bitch when it comes to dealing with you or the fact that the tea/food served at some restaurant wasnt up to your liking can get one to start bitchin’. And we women have one extra god-given reason to be bitchy as much as we like and that would be PMS my friends.

Anyway, what started me on this was, I have been cooped up inside a meeting room with 8 or so colleagues from my work place for the past 2-3 weeks from morning till evening finalizing some work stuff, and I realised just how much we really bitch about stuff..

Dont get me started on our bosses (if i may say so).. they just tend to make me grind my teeth and like joey in Friends says, you just wanna rip your arm off so that you would have something to throw at em’. And then starts the political grumbling and whining and that gives me a headache literally.

Workmate 1: Why did the government have to change the working hours from 8-4? (the fact that we had been working from 7:30 to 4:30 prior to that didnt even matter)..

Workmate 2: Its all political. You know conspiracy and shit. It must be most prolly cause Anni cant make it to work if he has to report to work at 7:30.

Me (silently talking to myself): Hello!!! He doesnt even have to report to work at anytime.. Hasnt anyone ever heard of the “rules” that allow the “responsible” folk in the office to come and go as they want???

Workmate 1: This is ridiculous giving lunch break at 12. (prior to that we had been taking lunch breaks between 12 and 2 for one hour).

Workmate 2: How do we eat?? We cant all go home and come back.

Me: Hasnt anyone heard that people in other countries too work from 9-5? And their homes arent within a 10 minute walking radius? And that they still manage to finish work without grumbling? And what do you expect? With a pay hike to work even lesser hours than before. aaargh!

Workmate 3: i dont get hungry even by that time (grumbles some more and we all turn back to work)..

some 2-3 days later, after receiving the news of foreign investers signing up MOUs to open up their business and hospitals in Maldives.

Workmate1: Its ridiculous. Why is he so hell-bent on opening that many hospitals? Whose gonna go there to get medical attention? We dont have that many people here in Maldives.

Me: Goodness me.. It jst amazes me how these people think. Hello! Dont we always talk about the lack of receiving adequate medical attention and care here in the Maldives. What more do these people want? To go back to the 1920’s or something.. Darn!

So you see why i am bitchin’ about them here in my blog. It just frazzles my nerves every friggin’ time they start condemning something without even really bothering to make any sense when they open their mouths. Anyways, it has been a “fun” filled three weeks.. Am gonna miss the bitchin’ (or NOT) when our meetings would be over tomorrow. So until then.. the bitchin’ continues!