Dear Editor
The great Martin L King once said “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
Now recently, I was a bit taken back when a young doctor who is presently practicing at SLBMC told me that he is scared for his future while being employed with the indigenous medical institution.
The young doctor indicated that he enjoys his job at SLBMC & he now feels a sense of gratification after spending numerous years studying abroad.
He then mentioned that he has suddenly developed a fear that he may suffer a fate similar to his colleagues who recently lost their jobs and had become a victim of a flaw that he considers to be in the healthcare system at SLBMC.
Subsequently, he proceeded to declare that as a practicing physician, he understands & respects all protocols that applies to the junior doctors within the institution.
However, he is left perplexed as to why the ” work licenses ” for his fellow colleagues whose licenses have expired, have not been renewed. As a result, he has chosen to stand in solidarity with them and openly share his opinion.
From all reports, he said that for the past two years his colleagues have been attached to SLBMC and the records clearly show that their roles while practicing at the hospital were all executed with distinction.
At the sametime, he continued to say that it is well known that SLBMC along with its satellite clinics have a shortage of doctors, so it is not clear to him, as to why the work licenses for his colleagues were not renewed.
This he thinks and rightly so, certainly leaves the junior doctors in a quagmire. The doctors cannot practice publically neither can they practice privately without a license.
At the sametime, they all have an ‘ up to date ‘ authorize employment contract that terminates several months after the expiry date of their license.
The young man expressed that studying overseas for 7 years or more, and been away from families & friends is not an easy task. It took alot of personal sacrifice & having a close relationship with God to accomplish their goals which has enabled them to return home to make a sterling contribution to the health care system of their country & towards the helping of their families.
At this point it is extremely disheartening to witness some of his colleagues being booted out of the system in such manner he uttered.
He went on to say that it is also a slap in his colleagues faces. Now, he is scared, wondering if he will be on the next list.
It is his view that what has happened is certainly disrespectful & a display of a lack of empathy towards the young people of this country, who is willing to make a contribution towards nation building and be a beacon in the community and by extension to the nation.
Many of us he exclaimed, have become the main breadwinners for our families. Others, are in the middle of preparing themselves to build upon their economic future. Now, they are out of job.
As he concluded the young doctor was adamant that he his making a plea to the prime minister, the health minister & the minister of Labour along with the medical council to address the matter sooner than later, hoping that his plea will not fall on deaf ears..
Alex
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