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Enact law to punish lax doctors, govt urged
2008-04-16 09:46:05
By Judica Tarimo, Dodoma
The government has been asked to enact a law to punish lax doctors and medical practitioners who transmit HIV virus to patients in the course of attending them.
The Member of Parliament, Richard Nyaulawa (Mbeya-Rural, CCM), said it was high time the law was enacted to deal with irresponsible doctors and medical practitioners.
In his response, Health and Social Welfare Minister, Prof. David Mwakyusa said there was no specific law to penalise medical practitioners save the general law governing the health sector.
``Once proved to have committed such mistakes, the general health law will be used to penalise the medical practitioners and attendants. It`s my belief that, the general health law properly addresses such problems,`` said Mwakyusa.
Alternatively, he said, people can channel their complaints on lax doctors and medical attendants to the Tanganyika Medical Council (TMC) and National Nurses Council, autonomous and independent organs established to handle cases related to doctors and nurses.
In her response to a principal question asked by the same MP, the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Aisha Kigoda said the government, through national health sector reform programme, had directed regional and district medical officers to prepare a contract for clients (patients), the Client Service Charter, to protect rights of patients.
``I call upon the regional and district medical officers to draw up the contract, and educate people on the service. I also advise the public to present their complaints and problems on problematic medical practitioners through special boxes installed in respective health centres and facilities,`` she said.
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