Racial Discrimination Not Allowed in Health Services: Dr Waqainabete
The Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says no person should be discriminated against.
“In the Constitution, no one is to be discriminated. That is unacceptable,” he said.
Dr Waqainabete’s comments follow claims by an expatriate medical doctor based at Tavua Hospital that he had been racially discriminated.
Dr Patrick Okhue, who is Nigerian, is the hospital’s acting senior medical officer and has worked there for more than three years. He raised the issue during the minister’s tour of the hospital yesterday.
Dr Okhue said on several occasions he received comments to return to Nigeria.
“The comments that I receive from patients are more. On several occasions they speak their own language which I don’t understand. Those who speak English they openly say ‘this black man, leave this place’,” Dr Okhue claimed. “I have had so many colleagues and patients who tell me ‘go back to your country, why are you in this country?’. Once they see that I am a foreigner their attitude towards me is different. Racism is not tolerated and for us to be receiving this treatment is uncalled for.”
Dr Okhue described the attitude of security officers stationed at the hospital as “toothless dogs” because they failed to address the issue after witnessing incidents. He claimed that even his daughter, who is a student at a primary school in Tavua, was abused.
“The recent case was with one patient. He actually swore at me and I said ‘why do I deserve this? If I am providing services for you people here, I don’t deserve this insult. I hope they would do more awareness racially on this to respect health professionals and I hope and pray this Government will do more about racial discrimination,” he said. Dr Waqainabete said: “We are asking the Police to increase their patrols around the Tavua Hospital.” He said he would speak with the Commissioner of Police, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho, concerning the need to increase Police patrols around the hospital precinct.