Indigenous, foreign doctors poised for showdown over engagement

The state government had through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Egyptian government, Masr Medical Center engaged the foreign doctors to man the said health facility for the period of two years.It is believed that each of the foreign doctor would receive close to $7000 as salary, a decision the state doctors believe is unfortunate […]

The state government had through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Egyptian government, Masr Medical Center engaged the foreign doctors to man the said health facility for the period of two years.
It is believed that each of the foreign doctor would receive close to $7000 as salary, a decision the state doctors believe is unfortunate giving the untold hardship they face working for the same government that claimed to have provided the needed environment for the development of health sector in the state.
The governor’s recent action did not go down with other doctors in the state which prompted them to issue a 21 days ultimatum to the state government to reverse their action or face a complete shutdown of the health sector in the state.
The state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has repeatedly complained to government over the deplorable state of health care delivery especially in terms of human resource for health and equipment and facility.
According to statistics in 2007, Katsina had 191 medical doctors which has decreased to about 140 to cater for close to a 8 million people.
These doctors are distributed to the General Hospitals and Child Health Care Centres at a ratio of one doctor to 50,000 as against World Health Organisation of a doctor to 1,000 patients.
Speaking on the issue, the Chairman NMA in the state, Dr. Kabir Suleiman said it was disheartening especially in view of the pressure of work on the doctors and government’s failure to create an enabling environment.
He added that the recent recruitment and deployment of these expatriates with Jumbo salaries is unfortunate’
He said, it was illegal to make one of them a Medical Director saying that it was  ridiculous, embarrassing and a waste of the people’s resources especially when considering the availability of indigenous and better qualified doctors at a lesser cost.
“We accordingly want to make it clear that it’s not within the jurisdiction of the state government to appoint any expatriate to head any public or private hospital in Nigeria as this falls within the jurisdiction of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria; he said.
He advised and cautioned the expatriates and their employers to stay away from  patients until they are fully recognised and registered by the MDCN or face prosecution in accordance with the law of the land.
This government action has equally raised some issues which the doctors want to be addressed as well. They include the immediate reversal of the illegal appointment of the foreign doctors, immediate implementation of corrected salary structure, promotion of all doctors due and abolition of the differential treatment between foreign and indigenous doctors.
However when contacted the state Commissioner for Health, Mannir Talba said that people should not assume that the government has just handed over the facility to the foreign doctors saying that the MOU provides that they work for two years and also train our indigenous doctors.
On their remuneration, he said the doctors are not permanently engaged as such they are not entitled to pension or gratuity noting that in some places they earn as high as $15,000.
According to him indigenous doctors upon completion of their school time are placed on level 6 and receive salaries until the completion of their program but lamented that most of them run to other places upon graduation.
On revamping  the facilities, Talba explained that the CT scan and the MRI machine which cost the state close to a billion naira are already in transit to the country noting that they are not pay pick equipments, they are made on demands.
Many have raised concerns over the completion and recruitment  of the new hospital when similar facilities are already in existence.
The Chairman of Accountability and Good Governance Lawal Saidu said the state does not need such a facility giving the availability of the federal government’s Dala Orthopedic Hospital which is few kilometers away.
The facility now an orthopedic hospital should have been made a General Hospital that would have wing used for orthopedics that can be well utilized for the people.
Another issue, that may mar this MOU is the incoming APC government which had since expressed its reservation over the facility.
Severally, they have criticized it describing it as a  misplaced priority and out of place in giving the desired need of the state.
 Now that the battle line has been drawn it is only proper for the two warring parties to meet and reach an amicable position so that the people especially the sick would not suffer.