Regional News T&T seeking 250 specialist doctors from Cuba
(Trinidad Guardian) The Ministry of Health will this month go on a recruiting drive for 250 specialised doctors from Cuba to service the public health care system.
This was revealed on Wednesday by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh at a press conference at his ministry’s Port-of-Spain headquarters.
Deyalsingh went to great lengths to explain that the Regional Health Authorities (RHA) have been experiencing problems with recruiting local doctors to fill 11 specialty areas for the past year, adding every doctor wants to work in what he called the “Cathedral of Medicine”, either the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), San Fernando General Hospital or Port-of-Spain General Hospital rather than the rural communities. However, he could not say if this “demand” was as a result of the prestige of working at these facilities.
“I have a need, therefore I would go to Cuba. That is why we have to employ foreigners because our locals do not have the skill set or don’t take advantage of the opportunity to work Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Vishwanath Partapsingh, left and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh at Wednesday’s press conference.
in the public sector for whatever reason,” Deyalsingh said.
He said even primary healthcare doctors have been resisting work in rural areas, which led to the ministry engaging the United Nations to get
UN doctors to come here to work.
“So if every House Officer wants to work in A&E, but you need House Officers in oncology what are we to do? And that is the position we are faced with.” Barbados’ reputation as an international business provider has taken a definite hit in the wake of the arrest of former Minister Donville Inniss, the country’s Attorney General, Dale Marshall has confirmed. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Marshall said his Barbados Labour Party administration would have to immediately look into a strategy to mitigate some of the fall out.
Inniss, a former Minister of Commerce and International Business, is on US$50 000 bond in New York, after being indicted on Monday for allegedly routing the proceeds of a US$36 000 bribe through a dental company in the United States.
“We have a situation where a former Cabinet member who was the face of international business and investment in Barbados has been brought before the law courts in the United States. It is difficult for us. It has cast a pall over the entire landscape of Barbados, especially our investment landscape. We can’t sweep that under the proverbial carpet,” Marshall told reporters during a press conference at Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St Michael.