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Be patriotic, State tells doctors
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
May 24, 2005

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=43683&pubdate=2005-05-24

GOVERNMENT has appealed to medical professionals to show their patriotism by remaining in the country to avert the crumbling of the health delivery system.

In an interview, the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Edwin Muguti, said the time had come for medical professionals to rise above their own personal interests and serve the nation.

Because of what they term poor working conditions, medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists, have been leaving the country in droves.

Out of more than 100 doctors that graduate every year, Zimbabwe loses close to 60 percent for what are termed "greener pastures" in countries like the United Kingdom.

Dr Muguti was addressing more than 100 final year medical and dental students at the weekend.

"I am not saying you should not think about making a living for yourselves because that would not be fair. However, if you all do not serve your country, who do you expect to do it for you?

"Although we have problems with several things not going the way you would wish them to, you have to realise that as medical personnel yours is a crucial duty to the people," he said.

Medical professionals, said Dr Muguti, were different from everybody else primarily because their service often spelt the difference between life and death.

"Love should govern you in your operations. If you love your country and people, you will stay and that is what we wish, " he said.

The Government was fully cognisant of the fact that much needed to be done to give the doctors incentives and, hopefully, stem the brain drain.

Besides addressing the issue of salaries, there was need to ensure that medical professionals had decent housing and transport.

"We have a vehicle loan facility but it is for $70 million, which I am aware might be inadequate, but there is a big problem with housing. While there is some money that doctors get for housing, it would never buy them houses.

"We are seriously looking into ensuring that our medical professionals get decent housing because, honestly as a doctor myself, I know that it does something to the dignity of a doctor to rent two rooms at the back of someone’s house and board a (crowded) Kombi (common commuter omnibus make) with their patients," said Dr Muguti.

Faced with such a situation, the professionals did not hesitate to leave, which left the country’s doctor-patient ratio much lower compared to other countries.

One doctor can see more than 300 patients in a day.

"We are continuously trying to come up with solutions and are happy that we now have the Health Services Act which allows for the creation of a Health Services Board, which we are hoping to announce soon.

"That board will look at such issues as conditions of service for our staff," he said.

To alleviate the serious shortage of doctors, Zimbabwe also had to resort to recruiting practitioners from other countries.

Dr Muguti said several Cuban doctors were currently on orientation at Parirenyatwa Hospital following which they would be deployed to different district hospitals countrywide.

"That may not be the best solution, but at least it helps our people. We will have to continue doing it until we can get as many of the professionals we are training to stay," he said.

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