Cañas healthcare workers in trouble for raising money for poor patients

June 12^th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) The Center for Integrated Health Care (CAIS) in Cañas organized a fundraiser over the weekend to raise funds to help low-income patients suffering from kidney failure.

However, the Ministry of Public Health has issued sanctions against those involved with the fundraiser, because they failed to file a series of documents with the Ministry to request permission to conduct the campaign that would have delayed the fundraiser by several days.

The director of the dialysis unit at the center said patients not only require urgent treatment, but many live in extreme poverty and at times do not even have food to eat.

The campaign collected just ¢215,000 (about $430), though the doctor said even the small amount would help address some of the families’ needs.

The funds will help to provide dialysis at the health center for low-income patients who do not have the necessary equipment in their homes, as well as to provide food.

In addition to the doctors involved, the sanctions could be extended to the Fuerza Publica and the local Red Cross who also assisted in the fundraiser.

Concerns have been raised that the unusual number of people suffering from kidney failure in the canton could be related to arsenic contamination in the water supply.