Illness and what constitutes an emergency

By Cherelle Jackson

[Newsline Newspaper Samoa] I have not been well recently, in fact I have been quite unwell, with one health problem after the next for almost four weeks straight, I am finally seeing the value in pain killers and good Doctors.
In the last month alone I have seen four doctors, including one in New Zealand visited one Hospital, four pharmacies and have taken an array of tablets for all sorts of ailments.
My experience lately has brought a new meaning to the phrase: “When it rains it pours,” because not only has it poured in terms of my health it has stormed like nothing I have seen before.
Being ill really makes one appreciate good health and life in general but perhaps most importantly good health services.
In that, I mean private Clinics, Hospital and Pharmacies.
In finding out I had an ailment which required a slight intrusion of ones privacy I opted for Asaua Doctors at Togafuafua, both female with a history in both private and public health there was no doubt in their expertise.
Le Fomai Clinic with Dr. Tala Ta’avao also proved effective especially armed with the expertise to conduct minor surgical procedures.
Marias Health Care Pharmacy was my one stop shop for prescription medicine in the first two weeks.
During the long weekend I found myself with a high fever combined with sore and swollen throat, it was Sunday morning in the midst of a holiday weekend.
My sister enlisted the assistance of my brother who will be graduating today with a Post Graduate Diploma in Midwifery, who better to take care of her two week old baby, while she drove me around to find a working Doctor.
Fortunately for me, the ever committed Dr. Joe Enosa was working in full force at Med Cen Hospital that day.
His reassuring words and accurate prescriptions provided immediate relief soon after.
We managed to find my prescribed medicine at The Drug Store ad Med Cen and at the Multipharm Pharmacy at Sogi.
Thankfully, both were open on Sunday.
In saying that, I am thankful that private health services are well equipped and resourced to serve those of us who experience some form of sickness after hours and during the holidays.
I did not have the patience or the energy to wait around in the public health system nor was my case qualified as an “emergency.”
As you may know the National Hospital only sees “Emergency” cases after certain hours.
But what constitutes an emergency?
Cardiac arrest and accidents are the common forms, but what if one needed immediate attention, with a high temperature or even severe physical and not necessarily visible pains?
Does ones internal organs have to be visible in order to be qualified as a case of “emergency”?
So far, there has been no visible description of what constitutes an emergency in accordance with the TTMHII consultation hours.
Perhaps it is time such rules were specified and options publicized for those needing medical attention after hours or during public holidays
Death like time, waits for no man, or Doctor for that matter.