EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Out of Hours Why healthcare in Tonga is so underfunded

"It's now official that Members of Parliament may receive generously funded trips for medical treatment overseas in addition to their full salaries.A regulation that has been enforced since January, but was just passed by Parliament on Monday, 10 October, guarantees that a member who has to go overseas for specialised medical treatment, would be awarded free medical treatment, two return Business Class airline tickets, along with daily allowances, transport allowances and rent allowances for the first 14 days. A further extension of the allowances will be granted once the Speaker receives a letter from an overseas doctor. Meanwhile, the member would continue to receive his fortnightly pay-packets.
Sangster Saulala told the House that the amount of money a member would be getting while on a medical treatment overseas was phenomenal. In addition to a $400 a day per diem for the first 14 days the sick MP would continue to receive a $1,600 fortnight salary. "If one gets $7,200 a fortnight while lying in a hospital overseas, I think that is ridiculous." He said.
It means that a member would earn more in a sick bed overseas than in Tonga struggling with the issues of how to repay government loans, what to do with the rising unemployment, and a depleting government tax resource base as local industries are closing down.

And I wonder why they cant afford to buy BP cuffs!

At least they're upfront about it!

Don't forget as well that it's not exactly unknown for folk like that to be refused re-entry. You know, "over-thrown" during their absence, and stuff like that.

That doesn't seem to happen here in the UK, unfortunately.

In similar vein here is a post that I spotted on another site earlier:-


Yes ... I can attest to that sort of thing, having seen something like that myself on a number of occasions (like when the contents of my suitcase was looted before my very eyes whilst passing through "Customs" in [censored], and being relived of "shiny tools" at a "police checkpoint" in the middle of [censored]), and having heard of many other similar stories from others.

Are we mugs, us generous Westerners ... ?

Yes, on balance, I believe that we are. You see, "out there" tolerance is generally mistaken for weakness. Tolerance? When you are "out there" in person, what other choice do you have? After all, if you dare to object ... chances are you'd be off to jail (or worse). Been there, done that ... not nice at all.

If any "good" has come out of all the OTT "images" we have been subjected to (from North Africa) recently, perhaps it is that they have served to remind folk in the "European Comfort Zone" what the conditions of life (and death) actually are in many "other" parts of the world.

Tunbridge Wells, it ain't.

Sounds all too familiar Geoff,
I HATE! going to customs as its always a struggle - lunch money, as I call it say, is actually the only way to get things done - there is a real power struggle going on between the Asian and Western Powers here in the Pacific for influence - the countrys know that if they go to a Western one for aid money for example, and get it refused on the grounds usually that it doesnt meet criteria, then they put a long face on and say sadly well we will just have to try the ******** instead - that suddenly changes everything and aid is usually forthcoming.
I experienced it in action just yesterday I went to see one of the health directors in one of my countries about some essential procurement funding - I had an aid agency employee with me - the moment we started the meeting, the directors face became long and drawn as he explained there was no money they were broke, didnt know how the health service was going to survive etc etc - read Hint Hint) he forgot to mention to the rep that he has had three overseas trips funded by the Ministry since July and the only reason we were seeing him was that the Secretary was away for a three day trip also paid for by the Ministry and I have just finished an imaging project that came in $117,000 under the allocated budget. If it werent so frustrating it would be laughable. The difference with me is because I live here and adopt local custom and culture and have a genuine love for the people here in my countries, they refer to me as a local, which is flattering, so I get to see the true situation.

I know, let's play "guess the country" ...

1) Tea Money ...
2) "Dash" ...
3) Baksheesh ...
4) Back-handers ... etc., etc.

Yes ... "going bush" is nice (but often resented by the true natives, I noticed).

It reminds me of one (Brit) tech who became known as the "White Nigerian" (I kid ye not)!

I also know of a guy (another Brit) who stayed out in one well known Desert Kingdom for over 35 years, yet still didn't get citizenship. Yes, even after "embracing the faith" early on in the game. But it seems that it's a game that you just can't win! Or maybe that should be:- not allowed to win.

Nah - here they are flattered that I am interested enough to want to take up citizenship - not the Cooks Islands as I have to be able to speak CI Maori fluently for that and I can't but I am applying in Tonga next month and Samoa as I want to buy a house there next year.
And yes its a game of spot the whitey at most functions I go to but I am so used to that and my face is pretty well known now.
Its sad that people can be so closed minded - I guess I am just lucky that doesnt occur here much

One of the happiest periods of my life was when I was the Chief Biomed at a 345-bed hospital in a town (they called it a city, locally) a few hours north of Riyadh.

Not only was I the only Brit in town ... I was the only Westerner in town. But (in case you're wondering), although I had the beard* (naturally), I managed to resist the temptation to splash out on thobe and ghutra. Ha, ha.

* Back in those days it was de rugueur for Western biomeds to adopt the local fashion with respect to "male grooming"!

The Tupenu, ta'ovala and kefa are standard wear for me in Tonga so I spend my days wearing a dress but its a hell of a lot cooler and it does impress the locals that I bother - at my graduation I wore full Tongan dress including a tupenu that had been worn at the feast when Captain Cook visited Tonga. Trouble was people at the ceremony didnt recognise the dress code but as I was wearing sandals they all asked me if I was a monk! Was very funny.

That image hasn't worked, Andy. Try the File Manager.

it's unlike you Geoff to put spelling mistakes on a post. Is it not 'de rigueur' instead of 'de rugueur'. Typo probably eh? Mind you, French was never my strongpoint.