A thermometer
that has been purposefully held close to the heater shows 42°C, miserable facial
expression and a nose protruding from under the blankets – all this makes up a
picture of t typical schoolchild who is trying to skive off the lessons. Children
see this as a kind of game, and think that they are the smartest and the most
quick-witted. Adults, on the other hand, can just smile in response to this “wittiness”.
However, the real illness is unlikely to make anyone smile. Worry for the loved
one is a typical response in this case. Unfortunately, in Kazakhstan the
widespread mistrust of the health care system is added to the common worry. Almost
everyone in the country can tell about either personal negative experience or
share a relative’s or a friend’s adverse story about the local hospitals and
health centers.
Complaints about
unqualified doctors, neglect and indifference of medical personnel and bureaucracy
do not seem to surprise anyone any more. Many people know only too well about waiting
in the queues and that it does not always guarantee a meeting with a doctor, as
they can suddenly leave for lunch or a meeting, or for some other “urgent”
business. As a result, the road to recovery and sometimes not to recovery at
all looks more like an obstacle course.
However, all
these problems are secondary; they are the ones people generally use to assess the
quality of medical service. In reality there are problems that are more serious
than queuing and arguments with the local doctor.
The audit made
by the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan revealed ubiquitous
violation of citizens' right for health care guaranteed by the law of our
country. Problematic health system in Kazakhstan seems to stand on three
whales: low quality of medical services, ineffective planning and spending of
budget money, and finally improper performance of duties by the health care system
workers. Each of those whales has to be discussed separately.
