Dr Benny, and dr. Jimmy at work!
As I sit behind my computer writing this blog, Lisa is sleeping in her bed behind me. I get up and walk over to touch her forehead. She is still a little warm, but the worst fever has gone down. It looks like she will recover from this without the help of a doctor.
When one of the children is sick I usually wait for three days, before I go to a doctor. Unless the situation is really serious of course, or it is clearly a throat infection or something like that. Before three days have gone by there cannot be any test on dengue or malaria.
I strongly believe in high quality medical care for all children, no matter where they were born and where they live. In the beginning, when the children were still small babies and needed vaccinations, I would take them to the PUSKESMAS, a health centre, often visited by people who can not afford to pay expensive bills. You don’t have to pay a lot for the consultation, and also the medicines are relatively cheap.
Usually one or two of the ibu’s would go with the sick child/children. When you arrive at the health centre, you get a number and then you have to wait your turn. This can be quite a long wait. Then finally your number is called and you can see the doctor.
When the ibu’s came back home, I would ask about the diagnose, and what is the therapy. The answer would be ‘masuk angin’ (the wind flies through your body), or ‘panas dalam’ (the heat has gone in your body). The cure would be one medicine for the sore throat, one medicine for allergies, anti-biotic (even if the illness was caused by a virus, in which case antibiotics does not work), extra vitamins, medicine to keep the fever down, and an anti cough – and flu syrup. So the patient had to drink six different kinds of medicine.
The health clinic is only open in the morning, so when one of our kids needs a doctor in the afternoon, I would go the hospital, to the paediatrician. There is one special doctor who I know for quite a while, and who is very good, and very kind. Not once has he made the wrong diagnose, and usually I leave his office with a prescription for not more than three different medicines. So pretty soon I skipped the whole Puskesmas, and went straight to the paediatrician.
I have to pay a bit more now, but I always understand the diagnose, and I know that the illness is treated in an adequate way.
Unfortunately it is a bit complicated to get insurance for my kids, so I have to pay the bill, and hope for a discount. But knowing the children have good quality medical care, and are in safe hands, makes it worthy of it!