Some poor persons recovered from illness are detained at the hospital” Prince Regent Charles”.
It has become common for hospitals to detain poor persons who are recovered from illness if they are not able to pay their medical charges after their treatments. For example, on Mars 1, 2006, 42 poor people were held at the Hospital Prince Regent Charles for not having been able to pay an invoice of medical charges of 10.043.393Fbu.
The highest invoice was of 1.448.181 BIF and lowest of 13. 080 BIF. The oldest detained person was a 74 years old man with an invoice of 313.750 BIF and the youngest was a 7 day baby with an invoice of 13.698 Fbu.
In spite of the help of some good hearted people, who sometimes pay for the poor, the question of detained poor people in the hospitals has become increasingly unbearable.
The government of Burundi is called upon to find solutions at this challenge.
D/ M.I - NK.E
