Wednesday October 01 2008
by Deborah Browne Wills
Antiguan doctors trained in Cuba are becoming extremely frustrated at
the Antigua and Barbuda government's neglect of their quandary.
Registration for the doctors to practise in Antigua and Barbuda was
promised in a Cabinet meeting several weeks ago, however, this and other
measures favourable to the doctors are yet to be addressed.
Darren Ephraim, spokesperson for the group of doctors told the Antigua
Sun "So far there has been absolutely no response whatsoever coming from
that Cabinet meeting. Within the last two weeks, I have tried repeatedly
to get in touch with the prime minister. I have been unable to get in
touch with him."
As a result of their frustration, Ephraim informed, two doctors who
completed their training in September last year have left the country.
"One has gone to England, the other to Jamaica. The one in England
reassured me that he does not plan to return any time soon," Ephraim
said adding that the behaviour of the government is merely contributing
to the "brain drain" the medical profession in Antigua and Barbuda is
experiencing.
Most of the doctors who qualified last year remain unemployed.
"Most are not working at all. One has become so frustrated to the point
that she has begun to teach at the Antigua Girls' High School. She is
married with two children so her economic pressures are a little more
pressurising than the others."
Ephraim said that a general air of frustration and discontent among the
doctors might lead to protesting and picketing of peoples' offices if
something is not done very soon.
Five doctors who graduated last year and four recent graduates are
awaiting the opportunity to register as doctors in Antigua and Barbuda.
Following the Cabinet meeting the doctors expected that the medical
registration board would be reconstituted, enabling their registration
within two weeks of the meeting. The doctors have not been informed
regarding either the members of the board or if it has indeed been
reconstituted.
After the Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer stated that
there were "difficulties associated with that current arrangement" and
that legislation would by necessity be examined to ensure the correct
reconstitution of the medical registration board.
"I think one thing that was established is that there is nothing legally
that prevents the doctors from being registered," Ephraim said, adding,
"We have not received any correspondence from the prime minister or the
minister of health. It is rather alarming, that a person has gone to
Cuba for seven years to train as a doctor and come back to Antigua to
teach." Ephraim said, expressing his disbelief at the situation.
"The point that I have stressed repeatedly is that if it is a problem in
terms of the government finding employment for the doctors, simply
register the doctors and let them find their own employment, the doctors
would accept that reality."
Ephraim said he felt "severe discrimination" was at play.
"We have registered Cuban trained doctors in the past and they have done
extremely well here. Three or four of our top doctors in the private
sector are Cuban trained. Since 2006, we have come to the conclusion
that this is a ploy to curb the influx of Cuban trained doctors in
Antigua and Barbuda."
http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=232422089610012008&an=370842057410012008&ac=Local
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