My Balinese wife sometimes tells me that Balinese themselves are not always nice to each other. She also tells that I never get to see much of that because of my bright skin.
My wife was once bitten by a dog and went to the closest medical clinic to get the needed injections. This was in a touristy area so the nearest clinic was one that catered for tourists. At the door step she was quickly told that this was not her place in a rather rude and inpolite manner. She needed to go to Sanglah and it would be cheaper for her. Little did they realize that she could pay her way with either cash or card whatever they preferred. Business was lost because of narrow minded prejudice and my wife felt insulted.
But this is not the story I want to share with you. The story I want to share is much more sad but I think it needs to be told. This took place in June last year in my wife’s desa which is close to Negara in the Jembrana regency an area that don’t see much tourist dollars.
My mother in law was asked if she could help a male relative which was sick and in great pain. My mother in Law is happy to help out whenever she can and she is smart. Normally they would just go to a Balian for guidance when someone is sick. But because of the man’s great pain they felt that going to the local clinic was needed too this time.
Problem is that the sick man basically got no money. But he is a Mandara card holder. This card is given to the poor of the poor. In my mother in law's village you may qualify for this card if you live in a non stone/brick/batako house. The card is supposed to give access basic medical care. Not good care, but still some kind of care.
At the small clinic for local people he was quickly diagnosed with kidney stone. He could hardly pee and had all the other tell tale symptoms. Very painful but also easy to treat. Because he only had the Mandara card, he was last in queue after other paying patients. Hes number would be called out. New patients came and went. They waited patiently. He’s number was never called. At the end of the day they was told to come back tomorrow. So they did. Now the pain was so severe that my mother in law almost had to carry him. They waited desperately; surely someone must have time for him today? He’s name was never called. “Please come back tomorrow”. They did. With even more pain this time. They waited desperately. No one had the time that day as well. Slowly they got the message: The clinic did not want him there and they had actually had no intention of treating him any time soon. "Please come back tomorrow" could also mean next week or never.
They stopped coming because by now the man could not pee at all and the pain was beyond words. He was now confined to his bed and his family could do nothing to ease the pain. After a few days the man passed away. He was aged forty. With very simple treatment he could have had twenty, or so, productive years in front of him. This is exactly the kind of patient and treatment that the Mandara card programme is supposed to cover.The clinic would get compensation in arrears from the local health administration. The problem is the compensation is so small it is unattractive business. Even though the clinic is supposed to treat him they avoided doing so, hence the eternal queue. I suspect they were relieved that my mother in law and the man in pain stopped coming, if they ever noticed. I have no doubt the responsible individuals have no problems with looking at themselves in the mirror every night.
It is really saddening to see how badly the “the have something” can treat “the have not” in Bali. This cannot be blamed on tourists or the bules, only the Balinese themselves and upon the society they created.
I got wind of this too late. I imagine that if I had showed up at the place they would have not heard my rather impolite and colorful Bahasa Swedish because they would be busy looking at my skin and even more so more at the hundred thousand rupiah notes in my hand.
No one will ever be held accountable for this. The sad story will only be told here by a bule.
Note bene, I did not post this in the “Magic of Bali” section because this would count as a negative. I like many others here love Bali in many ways yet sometime things like this must be told too.
My wife was once bitten by a dog and went to the closest medical clinic to get the needed injections. This was in a touristy area so the nearest clinic was one that catered for tourists. At the door step she was quickly told that this was not her place in a rather rude and inpolite manner. She needed to go to Sanglah and it would be cheaper for her. Little did they realize that she could pay her way with either cash or card whatever they preferred. Business was lost because of narrow minded prejudice and my wife felt insulted.
But this is not the story I want to share with you. The story I want to share is much more sad but I think it needs to be told. This took place in June last year in my wife’s desa which is close to Negara in the Jembrana regency an area that don’t see much tourist dollars.
My mother in law was asked if she could help a male relative which was sick and in great pain. My mother in Law is happy to help out whenever she can and she is smart. Normally they would just go to a Balian for guidance when someone is sick. But because of the man’s great pain they felt that going to the local clinic was needed too this time.
Problem is that the sick man basically got no money. But he is a Mandara card holder. This card is given to the poor of the poor. In my mother in law's village you may qualify for this card if you live in a non stone/brick/batako house. The card is supposed to give access basic medical care. Not good care, but still some kind of care.
At the small clinic for local people he was quickly diagnosed with kidney stone. He could hardly pee and had all the other tell tale symptoms. Very painful but also easy to treat. Because he only had the Mandara card, he was last in queue after other paying patients. Hes number would be called out. New patients came and went. They waited patiently. He’s number was never called. At the end of the day they was told to come back tomorrow. So they did. Now the pain was so severe that my mother in law almost had to carry him. They waited desperately; surely someone must have time for him today? He’s name was never called. “Please come back tomorrow”. They did. With even more pain this time. They waited desperately. No one had the time that day as well. Slowly they got the message: The clinic did not want him there and they had actually had no intention of treating him any time soon. "Please come back tomorrow" could also mean next week or never.
They stopped coming because by now the man could not pee at all and the pain was beyond words. He was now confined to his bed and his family could do nothing to ease the pain. After a few days the man passed away. He was aged forty. With very simple treatment he could have had twenty, or so, productive years in front of him. This is exactly the kind of patient and treatment that the Mandara card programme is supposed to cover.The clinic would get compensation in arrears from the local health administration. The problem is the compensation is so small it is unattractive business. Even though the clinic is supposed to treat him they avoided doing so, hence the eternal queue. I suspect they were relieved that my mother in law and the man in pain stopped coming, if they ever noticed. I have no doubt the responsible individuals have no problems with looking at themselves in the mirror every night.
It is really saddening to see how badly the “the have something” can treat “the have not” in Bali. This cannot be blamed on tourists or the bules, only the Balinese themselves and upon the society they created.
I got wind of this too late. I imagine that if I had showed up at the place they would have not heard my rather impolite and colorful Bahasa Swedish because they would be busy looking at my skin and even more so more at the hundred thousand rupiah notes in my hand.
No one will ever be held accountable for this. The sad story will only be told here by a bule.
Note bene, I did not post this in the “Magic of Bali” section because this would count as a negative. I like many others here love Bali in many ways yet sometime things like this must be told too.
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