Mauritania’s Health ministry has decided that all evacuations of patients within the country are now free of charge and their costs are covered by the department, according to an internal memo seen by APA on Monday .
By Mohamed Moctar
Health Minister, Mohamed Nedhirou Hamed said that all charges for internal evacuations, including fuel for the ambulance vehicles and staff mission expenses, will be borne by the health institution that took the decision to evacuate patients to another facility.
Medical facilities in the interior cities of Mauritania often avoid evacuations to hospitals in Nouakchott on the pretext of lack of ambulance vehicles, fuel or drivers.
“Any patient who arrives at the hospital in a state of emergency must be given priority and all the attention required,” Minister Hamed said.
Since his arrival in the department last August, the minister has shown a firm commitment to reforming the health sector.
In case of lack of necessary equipment or hospitalization facilities, he added, “we must immediately proceed with the formalities to evacuate the patient.”
The memo also called for coordination with the host health facility in case of patient evacuation.
The minister also urged that “the transport of patient should be carried out only after the agreement of the receiving hospital,” and that no transport by any means other than an ambulance vehicle should be allowed.
MOO/te/lb/as/APA