Big Brother IS watching!

Mahmood's Den has a recent post on the Smart Card, which is supposed to be implemented here in Bahrain very soon... altho some are saying that it all depends on when you renewed your CPR card (identification)....

In thinking about this Smart Card, I find myself wondering what it will reveal to other ppl about my life... ppl that I may not particularly want to know things about me... maybe even things that I find to be personal and none of their business. Which leads me to wonder who will be keeping track of all this knowledge/information? Some ordinary Joe? Someone that has had their mouth permanently stitched shut and who can not communicate otherwise?! For we all know how Bahrain is and how fast information travels.... right?

Not like I'm hiding any big secrets or anything... but I'm just sitting here thinking generally. Really, it doesn't matter to me what the information is... I particularly don't want ppl knowing my business unless I allow them to know my business.

So where does that leave me and you?

Up sh*t creek w/out a paddle? Wouldn't ya say ... or are we already there?

For instance... over a month 1/2 ago, one of my drs. left on holiday. Before doing so, she wrote a prescription out/details in my folder for 3 mths worth of medicine that I'm using. This is at AMH, btw. Well, when I go to check out, I decide to wait and not get all three months.... matter of fact, I didn't need any at that time, so I told the pharmacist that I would come back when I needed the refill and get it then. No problem, I was told.

After a few weeks, I went back to refill one month... still have two months waiting for me, for when I need it.... but to my surprise, I found out from the pharmacist that it doesn't matter if the dr. has written a prescription for the meds, it's up to the Ministry of Heath if you get your medicine. All files are sent to them and after they look it over and review it, it's then that they decide if you can continue to use that particular medicine.

This was COMPLETE NEW to me. I had no idea. I thought AMH was an independent hospital.... but obviously not. Matter of fact, it would be easier for me to see a dr. outside the hospital, get a prescription in my hand, and take it to an outside pharmacy. I have a better chance of getting my medicine like that than I do going thru the hospital. Which is absolute nonsense..... or at least I think it is.

When we took Naief to AMH (Saar) to get his 6 mth shots, we were told that we'd have to come back when they got more babies scheduled for the polio vaccine because they were given limited quantities from the MofH and couldn't give the dosage to the baby at that time.

Again... I was dumbstruck. I could not believe they were rationing the medicine like this.

Am I living in la la land or what?!! Am I the last to know that this is going on? Why on earth would the MofH be in a place - some person there w/ nothing better to do but review files and decide who gets what - where they can play like God somewhat. Are they only buying limited quantities of everything and that's why they're hording it in such a way??

I will say that when I went back a few wks ago to pick up my 2nd month of meds, I didn't have any hassle.... I'm waiting for the day that they tell me that I can't have them... based on what the MofH has decided. And the baby was called a week after his appt. to come out to get his polio drops.

So, I guess my whole point here is... will it really matter if the Smart Card has private information available to most everyone on it??? For ppl are watching and have been for a long time, I'd assume.