NAMIBIA; Doctors prefer private practice

April 2013 New Era; The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, says government has trained scores of doctors with its own resources, but most of them have gone into private practice.

Last year 28 doctors graduated on government scholarships, while 22 students enrolled to study medicine in 2011 and another 18 in 2010, and are still busy with their studies. “If you ask me where are they now. They are in the private sector,” he said.

Kamwi said because government has no binding policy or system in place, whereby graduates are required or contracted to work for the sponsoring institution after graduation, many of those medical doctors who completed their studies are lost to the private sector.

Kamwi said he has repeatedly impressed the importance of a binding policy on his Cabinet colleagues to compel State-sponsored doctors to work in public hospitals but no avail. “Thanks to the consideration of the late Minister of Education Dr Abraham Iyambo who came to understand that, the issue finally went to Cabinet,” said Kamwi whose ministry is in the public spotlight following a number of unfortunate incidents which have led to the deaths of patients in state health facilities in various parts of the country in the past year or so.

He said that the University of Namibia (Unam) has trained medical staff among them doctors, pharmacists and registered nurses in the past with government resources, but there was no directive in place obliging them to work for the State upon completion of their studies. Kamwi said the Ministry of Health and Social Services has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with several friendly countries, among them South Africa, Cuba, Ghana, Tanzania, China and the Ukraine to train medical doctors. “We are now establishing a diploma in registered nursing which will be offered at the Unam campus in Keetmanshoop,” he revealed, adding that a total of 90 students will be enrolled to study in the southern town before the end of this month, while 90 students will be enrolled to study in Windhoek and 90 in Rundu.

In addition, the health ministry has signed a MoU with Cuba and in August it will be sending a total of 125 students to study medicine in that country, while another 50 will be studying dentistry, while 75 will be trained as health technicians.

According to Kamwi, 112 registered and enrolled nurses were lost during the period 2011/2012 to private health institutions. Given the situation, Kamwi said the ministry is going to respond to the recommendations contained in the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the activities, affairs, management and operations of the Ministry of Health and Social Services to address staff shortages.

“The recommendations say upgrade their salaries. Government has already responded to that and to address the incentives for health practitioners, especially those (serving) in rural areas. We have addressed that,” said the beleaguered health minister. According to Kamwi, for the first time nurses attached to rural health centres will receive a ‘bush allowance’ and added: “We have fought hard to convince government through the Public Service Commission that they must definitely get it.”

Kamwi also revealed that a decision has been taken to train the 648 HIV community counsellors who have been with the ministry on a voluntary basis as extension health workers.

“They will be bridge builders between communities and nurses. They will be doing the basics that assistant nurses used to do before. When in rural areas, they will assist with expectant women to direct them to health facilities,” he explained, adding that the health workers would also administer simple procedures like giving painkillers to those with headaches and simple stomach ailments.

He said in hospitals, the extension health workers would assist with making up beds, assisting in maternity wards and washing patients. “We have budgeted for them for the 2013/2014 year. I will hopefully defend this budget this coming Friday (today),” he said.

 

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