I’m surprised that anyone survives private healthcare system

We’ve all heard horror stories about the public healthcare system. And some of us have first-hand experience.

Today, dear reader, I have to tell you about my challenges in dealing with an element that stands central to private healthcare.

The one thing that most of us agree is a privilege to have – our medical aid.

As I have mentioned in this column a while ago, the lovely Snapdragon has had a huge back and neck operation.

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She is now battling through the painful 12-week recovery period and her frustration shows clearly in the FirstWorld problems she moans about.

“How on earth can they make my tablets maroon?” she told me. “I have just dropped one on the Persian carpet in front of my bed and I can’t find it.”

“That’s a First-World problem,” I replied.

“We live in Africa … most people here don’t have Persian carpets. Many don’t even have medication.”

I don’t think my argument with our medical aid is such a FirstWorld problem. A woman called the other day.

“We need to have all the background from the past year on Mrs Lotriet’s condition to enable us to process the claims,” she told me. “We need a report from your family practitioner.”

“We don’t have a family practitioner,” I told her. “Our doctor passed away two years ago. She had Covid,” I explained.

“But we will need a report on any and all ailments for which she has treated Mrs Lotriet in 2022,” the woman said.

“She hasn’t treated any of us in 2022,” I said. “Why not?” the woman asked. “Because she was dead.”

“Are you sure she didn’t treat Mrs Lotriet?” the woman sounded doubtful.

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“She was a dedicated doctor who didn’t hesitate to walk the extra mile,” I explained.

“But expecting her to treat patients after her death might just be a bridge too far. Even writing reports or keeping medical files up to date.”

She asked a few more questions, but eventually she conceded it’s unlikely that our dear family practitioner treated my wife.

I have sympathy for any of my fellow South Africans who have to make use of public healthcare.

But I’m surprised that anyone survives the private system.