More than 900 new doctor posts will help meet demand for health services - CMO

By Halshane Burke 

 

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jacqueline Bisasor McKenzie says the announced increase in the complement of doctors in the health system will help meet demand for the services.

 

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton on Tuesday announced the creation of 927 new permanent posts in the sector.

 

Dr. Bisasor McKenzie said the increase will result in more resolution of problems and improve the quality and comprehensive care offered to the public. 

 

"We are looking at the fact that the doctors need to spend more time with the client because there is a health promotion and prevention agenda that we think that needs more time with the patients in order to let them be aware of wellness and not just that they come in because they are ill. And in order to accommodate that, we are increasing the number of doctors in primary care and also increasing the supervision of these doctors in primary care by increasing the number of specialists in primary care," she explained. 

 

Dr. Bisasor McKenzie said it is important that the health sector responds to the needs of the nation. 

 

"So we are introducing the positions of family medicine physicians in the primary care facility. We are also increasing the specialist services in the type B hospitals to add some of the sub-specialist areas to cater to the change in epidemiology where we're seeing more and more complications of non communicable diseases." 

 

"So services like cardiology, which most of our deaths are resulting from cardiovascular illnesses, we are trying to cater for that in more of our hospitals. So it is an expansion of service and an attempt to try to ensure that we are providing the services that the population needs," she said. 

 

The Chief Medical Officer was speaking Wednesday on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines.

 

 

Meanwhile, President of the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) Dr. Mindi Fitz-Henley said discussions are ongoing to determine the effectiveness of the proposed 40-hour workweek for doctors.

 

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton while announcing an increase in the number of posts in the health sector pointed to a move to have the new 40-hour workweek.

 

Dr. Fitz-Henley said this will result in greater coverage for patients. 

 

"We are just clarifying some things in terms of the rate that will be paid. We received something a few hours ago, and so we are discussing it with our trustees and the other members of the team just to ensure that everything seems to be appropriate. But that is something that we have had ongoing discussion on," said the JMDA president, who was also speaking Wednesday evening on Beyond the Headlines.

 

Under the proposal, Saturdays and Sundays would be treated just as weekdays, with doctors paid for doing regular duties, 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. as part of a 40-hour workweek and over time rates paid after 4 p.m.