Recovering addict 'prescribed addictive drug'

Sharjah: A psychiatrist is being questioned by police for giving a recovering drug addict an addictive prescription drug.

Lieutenant Colonel Yousuf Mousa Al Naqbi, director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Sharjah Police, said that a specialist team had been set up to take precautionary measures against medical centres operating in Sharjah.

"One of the psychiatrists working at a medical centre wrote a prescription for a recovering drug addict, but the medicine the patient was given was an addictive one. The doctor did not take more than 10 minutes to decide what medication should be used, and this violates proper medical practice," said Lt Col Al Naqbi.

The recently formed team comprised the Anti-Narcotics Department at Sharjah Police and the Ministry of Health.

The medical centre found flouting the rules was dedicated to providing therapy to patients rehabilitating from narcotics.

Lt Col Al Naqbi pointed out the clinic was neglecting its patients and that it were not conducting efficient follow-ups to monitor their progress.

"The team conducted inspections in other medical centres and discovered they also had committed many administrative violations, in addition to being negligent towards their patients," he said.

The joint team is also investigating private clinics and pharmacies who offer stimulants over the counter without requesting a prescription.

Doctors and other medical practitioners seemed to have forgotten the oath they made when they graduated and got their licenses because we read a lot of cases where patients suffer or go into problems due to doctors not taking more time in getting information and understanding the patient's case. I recently went to a doctor and he did a minor surgery on me without even checking my blood pressure prior to the surgery. The surgery was left exposed and I was not given any painkillers if I had not asked. I wish there is an evaluation sheet wherein patients can give their comments on doctors and other medical practioners so that they will wake up and realise how complacent they have become with their profession.
Marie
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 07, 2009, 12:30

Nearly 2 years ago, my husband kept on getting an ear infection due to a sinus infection. Every time he went to the doctors office in a private hospital, the GP on duty would not even bother to look properly at my husband's medical history or ask him the proper follow up questions. He (the doctor) would just always decide that my husband is suffering from the flu and would then prescribe antibiotics. Even I know that a flu is a viral infection and that antibiotics would be of no help at all. I suggested to my husband to visit an ENT Specialist as I thought that it is not normal that a person should be diagnosed with suffering from the flu for 3 months straight in a row. Eventually, after a simple examination form the ENT, my husband was diagnosed with a severely deviated septum and and that his left nostril had a more pronounced thickened flesh that the right nostril, thus the recurring sinus infection. Minor surgery cleared this all up, and al humdoolillah, my husband hasn't been back to the doctors office since! My point is, there should be better regulation with these doctors who seem to be so careless dismissive and apathetic when it comes to their patients, as they (the doctors) seem to just want a quick cure and fill their quota with the pharmaceutical companies in dispensing prescriptions. Isn't it all about "prevention is better than a cure?"
Mariam
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: May 07, 2009, 11:44

Yes its very true that some doctors don't bother to check their patients properly. I am a pregnant woman who has to visit the doctor regularly inspite of paying huge bills on every visit the doctors don't take proper care. They even neglected to check my blood pressure and weight, which is very important in pregnancy. Plus the doctors have not even a single time asked me if I am having any uneasiness, and whenever I approach her with any questions she ignores and asks for the next patient to come in ... I am soo afraid to deliver my baby here but due to my job I cannot go back to my hometown to deliver and I want to spend all my holidays with my baby.
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 07, 2009, 10:27