Catholic hospitals cheaper
19.01.2010
Fr O’Neill tells us about Catholic hospitals and clinics in China.
In a number of dioceses throughout China, religious sisters work as doctors in Catholic hospitals and village clinics. These hospitals and clinics offer cheap medical care for the poor of China.
In one particular congregation one third of its 300 sisters are doctors. It's fair to say that when these sisters did their medical training the standards were not as high as students studying medicine in China today. Nevertheless the sisters have to do ongoing study to keep up with modern medicine.
One of the sisters in the congregation, Sr Mary, received a scholarship from the Columbans to study in Ireland. Her studies were in religious formation and spirituality. During a visit to Sr Mary's diocese we visited the smallest of the three Catholic hospitals run by her congregation. The hospital is in a Catholic village on the outskirts of a rural city. Eleven sisters work in the 40-bed hospital which provides most medical departments, except major surgery. Dental surgery is provided.
The sisters said the Government gives no financial assistance to Catholic hospitals. If patients go to a Government hospital the Government advertises they will pay 80yuan (AUD$12) of the 100yuan (AUD$16). The Sisters said the expenses would normally not be as high as 100yuan (AUD$16), however the government advertise in this way to get the people to think the government is offering a good health system. The poor cannot afford to pay the 80yuan (AUD$12) so they go to the Catholic hospital where they are charged 20yuan (AUD$3).
Patient fees at the Catholic hospital pay for the hospital's running costs. There is no income for the Sisters beyond their daily living expenses
of food and board.
The Sisters said the government often has higher standards for private hospitals. They are always evaluating private hospitals. The sisters know that government run hospitals do not get evaluated as often. The sisters are able to keep up with the required government standards but the government would like the Catholic hospitals closed. They said the government doesn't like to see the Catholic Church as an organization that is able to help people.
In one other diocese I visited a pastoral centre which was once a Catholic hospital. I was told the hospital was closed by the Government because it was offering a very good service to the people, just as good as or even better than they were receiving from Government hospitals in the same town.
In another diocese a group of Sisters are building a new hospital. One of the Sisters is the head doctor of the hospital. She is the aunt of a Chinese priest Fr Kieran who received a scholarship from the Columbans to study in Ireland. There are 15 sisters working in the existing hospital, 11 are doctors and four are pharmacists.
There are 30 beds in the hospital. The hospital is very cramped and the conditions are quite poor. All the sisters sleep in their offices. The office of the head doctor is also the meeting room, lounge room and dining room for the community of Sisters. In order for the congregation to continue running the hospital they need to build a new hospital with modern medical facilities. The congregation has in all about 35 doctors. They run two hospitals in the diocese.
In other dioceses I have visited there are many village clinics staffed by religious Sisters who are doctors. People can go to these clinics for minor medical attention but need to go to city hospitals for major health concerns. The conditions of these clinics are basic yet they provide
a necessary service to the rural poor of China.
Fr Kevin O'Neill is exploring the future prospects of Chinese Columban Vocations.
