Unemployed Doctor Shares Frustrations With Citi FM

Some 245 trained but unemployed doctors, have questioned the efforts of the Health and Finance Ministries in absorbing them into the public service.

The doctors, who graduated in 2014, say all efforts to secure financial clearance for their absorption have proved futile, whiles many hospitals lack doctors, putting the lives of patients at risk.

In a heartfelt petition to Citi News to highlight their plight, a doctor, John-Diego Kosoe, lamented the dire situation of his colleagues who are idle.

This has even compelled some doctors to leave Ghana for greener pastures, he said.

The petitioner noted that, “out of frustration, I know 3 of my colleagues who contracted huge personal loans and left the country for Germany, just to hustle out there, to do German language courses and get absorbed into their system.”

As it stands now, Ghana has one doctor attending to about 10, 450 patient. This is far below the one doctor to 5000 patients ratio per the recommendations of the Commonwealth, and the 1 doctor to 1,320 patients per the recommendations from WHO.

Dr. Kosoe notes in his appeal that, he is “personally interested in Psychiatry” but is unable to contribute to this sector of healthcare which is known to be a neglected medical field in Ghana.

“I’ve been to Pantang psychiatry where they need over 6 Medical Officers, same with Accra Psychiatry Hospital. It’s even worse at Ankaful. At the moment, Ankaful Psychiatry has only one active Medical Officer at that facility. They are all willing to take doctors through Mental Health Authority, but can’t do so until we’ve been cleared by the MoH/MoF, ” he said.

Find below the full petition sent to Citi FM

Hello Mr. Avle
Hope you’re doing good by God’s grace.
This email is to inform you of my plight and some other 244 MEDICAL DOCTORS who have been home for past 5-6months awaiting ,o get financial clearance to be absorbed into the public sector.

BACKGROUND;
1. Most of us graduated from University of Ghana Medical school (about 120) with the rest from UDS, UCC, UST-SMS and a few foreign trained folks.

We graduated in 2014, others in early 2015.
2. We undertook the compulsory 2yr housemanship training which ended in May/June 2017.

I personally did my first year in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Second year in the district, Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, Akuapim Mampong.

I completed my last rotation in May 2017.
3. We subsequently submitted our log books, a pre-requisite for permanent registration with the Medical and Dental Council. They intern forwarded the list of all in good standing to the MoH for financial clearance so we can be absorbed permanently to help bridge the current gap in doctor/patient ratio.

4. Follow-ups to MoH were initially fruitless until recently, by myself on 9th Oct, 2017 showed that they’ve forwarded same to MoF.

Checks at MoF shows otherwise though.
CONCERN:
1. Ghana as a country has a very huge deficit with regards to Medical Doctors, for how long should we continue to waste this youthful age waiting for clearance?

I’m personally interested in Psychiatry (so called neglected Medical field in Ghana). I’ve been to Pantang psychiatry where they need over 6 Medical Officers, same with Accra Psychiatry Hospital. It’s even worse at Ankaful. At the moment Ankaful Psychiatry has only one active Medical Officer at that facility.

They are all willing to take doctors through Mental Health Authority but can’t do so until we’ve been cleared by the MoH/MoF.

Mr. Avle, same can be said for all our District Hospital’s and even the Korle-bu’s and 37’s in Accra

2. Out of frustration, I know 3 of my colleagues who contracted huge personal loans and left the country for Germany, just to hustle out there, to do German language courses and get absorbed into their system.

Let’s not forget all these loans add up to the None Performing Loans crippling our economy.

Lot more are leaving for the southern Africa nations, USA, UK etc.

3. Six months at home, as an unemployed doctor puts undue pressure not just on us, our dependents but the entire nation.

MY OWN MOTHER HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED FROM KRACHI TO HOHOE JUST TO BE ATTENDED TO BY A DOCTOR EARLY THIS YEAR, SHE ALMOST LOST HER LIVE.

WHY? BECAUSE KRACHI GOV’T HOSPITAL HAD NO DOCTORS.

How many more do we have to let die/have sub-standard care due to lack of doctors in our hospitals, especially district Hospitals!

How long Avle??
MISCONCEPTION:
1. Recently, I heard some politicians, including Prof. Akosa paint it as if the doctor patient ratio is as a result of low production from the various training institutions, I beg to defer. Even if it does over 245 of us home if employed will change the outcome.

Avle, how long do we have to die as Ghanaians because there are no doctors in our facilities?

How long must I wait as a Medical Doctor to get clearance to work?

5-6months and counting!!!
EXPECTATION FROM YOU;
Your advocacy and media enquiry into such an important issue might help in getting 245 Ghanaian doctors employed in Ghana, thereby improving our health sector. (Current net salary of a Medical officer is about Ghc 3980, it will take far less to get every district in Ghana +1 MO than what is being splashed on student allowances)

I am #UnemployedDoctor
I am bitter for the Health sector
I am bitter for Psychiatry
I am honestly loosing hope in our nation Avle
Thank you
Dr. John-diego Kosoe
Tema
0243076208
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana