Chaminga F.
PLEASE READ — A WARNING TO OTHER PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
I normally don’t write posts like this, but after what my elderly parents have experienced, I feel I have a responsibility to share this so others can make an informed decision. My father is a Parkinson’s patient and has serious mobility difficulties. Before I travelled overseas, I personally took him to see Dr. Dilum Palliaguruage. We arrived at 9am, only to be told that his appointment had been postponed until 1pm. Imagine asking an elderly Parkinson’s patient who can barely walk to sit and wait for FOUR HOURS. We hung around and I took him for some refreshments and arrived back at AAYU BY NAWALOKA at 1pm. Then, at around 1.30pm, I was informed that the doctor would be delayed for another two hours. I had a flight to catch back to Australia, so I had no choice but to reschedule the appointment for the following Saturday. Because I am currently overseas and both my parents are elderly, I had to organise their transport remotely. I booked a Premier Uber for approximately Rs.1,600 so they could attend the appointment. And then, while my parents were already on their way, they received a call from AAYU BY NAWALOKA telling them that the doctor had cancelled the appointment yet again. Is he seriously taking his patients’ lives and wellbeing so lightly? How can someone be considered a responsible doctor when patients are left waiting, appointments are changed or cancelled at the last minute, and vulnerable people are left to deal with the my spectacles now I’m doing something Seriously? These are elderly people. One of them is a Parkinson’s patient with significant mobility issues. They are not young, fit people who can simply jump into a car, travel around and wait for hours without it affecting them. We had already paid approximately Rs.6,000 for the consultation, which we are now waiting to have refunded. On top of that, we lost the money spent on the Uber because the cancellation happened after my parents had already left. What frustrates me most isn't even the money. It is the complete lack of consideration for elderly and vulnerable patients by DR DILUM PALIYAGURUGE AND AAYU BY NAWALOKA. Both earning enough money off vulnerable patients. I understand that doctors can have emergencies and unforeseen circumstances. But there needs to be better communication, better organisation and, above all, some basic consideration for the people who are paying for and relying on these services. When you charge nearly Rs.6,000 for a consultation, patients should at the very least be treated with respect and their time should be valued. This experience has made me question how we have normalised this kind of behaviour within parts of our healthcare system in Sri Lanka. Patients should not have to wait for hours, rearrange their lives, organise expensive transport and then find out at the last minute that their appointment has been cancelled. Our elderly and vulnerable patients deserve better. I am sharing this because I genuinely don’t want another family to go through what my parents have just experienced. Please do your research before booking a consultation. Read reviews, ask questions and consider all your options when choosing a neurologist. There are other neurologists available, and I sincerely hope people find doctors who value their patients' time, dignity and wellbeing. This isn't about expecting perfection from doctors. It's about expecting basic professionalism, communication, accountability and compassion. Our elderly parents have spent their lives contributing to their families and communities. When they become vulnerable and need medical care, the very least they deserve is to be treated with dignity and respect. Patients are not just appointments. They are people. They are someone's mother, someone's father, someone's loved one. Please don't forget that. This doctor and AAYU by Nawaloka, a health centre that presents itself as a premier healthcare
