Operating rooms for rent!
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ennahar
Algiers- A new phenomenon has appeared recently in algeria related to the rental of operating rooms for surgeons by foreign doctors in order to operate their patients.
- These illegal practices in terms of Algerian law and which increasingly expose patients to serious risks since the responsibility in case an incident occurs, is not assumed neither by the doctor nor by the clinic.
- Many managers and directors of private hospitals in the capital revealed that they receive every day medical surgeons, among them heads of departments and directors of teaching hospitals, bringing with them the medical records of their patients in hospitals where they work, seeking to rent operating blocks in order to bring their patients to operate them. They offer price for each transaction or per hour of work.
- The director of a large clinic in Algiers said he had received a surgeon, professor and head of surgery department in a teaching hospital who had asked him to reserve a weekday especially for operating his patients. When the director asked him whether he has a permission of the department,the Professor replied that they are only small surgeries that do notrequire informing the department. Thing that the director refused.
- This is merely one example among dozens of those who travel between clinics with the hope of finding a sterilized room to operate their patients, not to say an operating room because clinics which have surgical suites equipped with the necessary equipment do not venture to hire them to foreigners.
- How is the contract between the surgeon and the establishment is made
- According to sources well informed on the file, the contract is concluded according to supply and demand, just as in trade, far from the ethics and medical ethics. Some clinics put their operating rooms and all equipment available at the disposition of the surgeon who himself chose the medical team to work with him. Rental fees are 10 to 30,000 DA.
- According to many doctors and directors of private clinics that we visited, the clinics that offer this kind of new service which is illegal and far from ethical or professional conduct, are small clinics with a poor reputation and lack of activity. They have rooms equipped with necessary medical equipment. According to our sources, these are just sterilized rooms with an operating table.
- According to the head of a large clinic in Algiers, who preferred anonymity, he would have invested in his clinic conformably to international standards. He adds that his conscience doesn’t allow him to put his clinic and the equipment available at the disposal of foreign physicians who, in addition can damage the equipment with or without intention. He also says that any doctor working in a private hospital must have authorization from the Health Board that displays his name out of the clinic and outside working hours so that he assumes his responsibilities and that patients are aware of doctors who treat them.
- Ennahar / Samy siyoucef
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