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Privately-owned charity hospital in red
(eastday.com)
Updated: 2005-05-20 08:49 A Shanghai doctor who
set up the city's first privately owned charity hospital says the
facility is losing 100,000 yuan (US$12,048) a month and he needs to find donors
or sponsors to keep the facility open and help the poor.
Ding Xuejin, a tumor specialist, opened Shanghai Ciai Hospital on February
18. The hospital, which specializes in treating cancer, offers large discounts
to the needy.
"Ciai means we serve our patients with the whole heart but not for free. To
help patients living under the poverty line, we set up a special fund, which
consists of some hospital income and patients' gifts refused by our doctors,"
said Ding. "If patients have certificates from the civil affairs authorities or
have real difficulty, we will give them a 20 to 30 percent discount on their
medical bills."
However, Ding said almost all of the hospital's patients claimed they are too
poor to pay their medical bills, and many are upset when doctors refuse to waive
the entire fee.
"As a new hospital, we only earn about 50,000 yuan a month. The total cost of
rent, salaries and subsidies to the patients is more than 150,000 yuan every
month," Ding said, adding that he has to make up the shortfall from his own
pocket every month.
Many people have contacted Ding about investing in the hospital, he said.
"I refused all these requests, since the investors wanted to make a quick
buck and weren't interested in charity. That is why I personally invested 4
million yuan in the hospital," he said. "I must adhere to the theme of charity,
even though there are many difficulties."
He said the best way for companies to help him out would be to buy a piece of
necessary equipment and then share the income the equipment generates with the
hospital.
Wu Ming, a 53-year-old with lung cancer, is living in the hospital's charity
ward.
"My wife died of cancer 10 years ago. I am living on some 200 yuan a month
from the social security fund for people living under the poverty line. I left
the previous hospital after using up all of my savings," Wu said. "My relatives
sent me here after hearing about this charity hospital. The officials are so
kind to me and helped me contact the civil affairs bureau and my neighborhood
committee about subsidies and donations."
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