Critical shortage of doctors in Solomon Islands.
Updated
The Solomon Islands is experiencing a critical shortage of medical doctors. The Secretary for Health Care, Doctor Cedric Alependava says there's only one anaesthetist serving the whole country of 600-thousand people. He says the doctor-patient radio in Solomon Islands is about 20 times less than the required World Health Organisation standard. Doctor Alependava says the problem is exacerbated by local doctors being lured overseas by better pay in regional countries including Australia and New Zealand.
Presenter: Sam Seke
Speaker: The Solomon Islands Under Secretary for Health Care, Doctor Cedric Alependava
ALEPENDAVA: In fact we are really in shortage of doctors in Solomon Islands. In reality we only have 120 doctors and currently we only have 60 of them now working in the country. So if you look at the population ratio with regards to our doctors it would be roughly about 9-thousand population is to one doctor. And according to the WHO standard we should only have one doctor to 400 or 500 population or people. And about 40 of our doctors are working in the regional countries.
SEKE: So in which areas are you desperately in need of doctors?
ALEPENDAVA: Currently we are in desperate need for anaethestic doctors, and also obstetrics and gynecology doctors, and physicians in general medicine. These are the areas we are really in desperate need to have them in Solomon Islands. We have one anesthetist doing all the cases for all the surgeons plus ONG specialists and other doctors. So she is virtually overworked.
SEKE: From what you are saying Dr Cedric it looks like the doctors there may be overworked?
ALEPENDAVA: Oh yes doctors in Honiara they are overworked, particularly in out patients, they are virtually on call 24 hours, and if they are given an offer overseas they actually get attracted and usually go away.
SEKE: So you're saying that the reason why some of the Solomon Islands doctors who were trained overseas left the country was because of poor pay and conditions?
ALEPENDAVA: Yes, because of the kind of pay that we have here and when they compare to other regional countries and like in Australia or New Zealand, it's no where near. So when they go into that, work in these countries they're well paid so they refuse to come.
SEKE: Now under a bilateral arrangement with the government of Cuba, Cuban doctors I understand are supposed to or should be coming to Solomon Islands to help out, have they?
ALEPENDAVA: Yes we have this bilateral agreement by which Cuba has offered Solomon Islands 40 doctors virtually on a voluntary basis. So currently we have already two in the country, they have already started working and we are hoping after a month from now, another eight will be joining us.
SEKE: So what kind of cost is the Solomon Islands going to bear as far as 40 doctors from Cuba coming to Solomon Islands?
ALEPENDAVA: We are actually paying for their tickets to come and then we are giving 100 US dollars payment as their allowance. For food we are giving extra of 300 dollars for their food, we're providing accommodation, we are providing transport and virtually this is work and we give extra 300 dollars for food, that's US dollar, and 100 US allowance. So this is very, very minimal wage, below even Solomon Islanders' wages.
