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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 14:51:49
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Daily News Editorial:
Firing and Hiring is Not a Permanent Solution to the Health Ministry
The President of the republic was on the national television and radio decrying about the unacceptable happenings at the health department, but to be precise President Jammeh was referring to the corruption at the medical and health department. The President did not hide his anger and frustration over some of the irregularities at the health department.
The fact of the matter is our hospitals and major health centers are without enough drugs. The reality on the ground is that when people go to the hospitals most of the time, what happens is that they are given mere prescriptions, as there are not enough drugs available. The patient is asked to go to private pharmacies to get the required drugs.
In a strongly worded statement, President Jammeh was quoted as expressing his dissatisfaction with the wrong doings in the health sector, citing what he called the unacceptable habit of drug theft, a menace in the sector as drugs are being sold at private pharmacies at the expense of the nation. The indications are that government spends a lot of money in acquiring enough drugs, but what happens is that these drugs find their way into private pharmacies. How that happens and why is what needs to be seriously looked into and addressed. This is where government is failing the Gambian people.
This indeed is very unfortunate, how on earth can public servants who are paid out of the taxpayers’ money defraud the people of what belongs to them. It is not strange to any Gambian that what we have in most of our health facilities are human resources but there are no drugs. It is only the common man who feels this as most people who are a little better off do not go to these facilities, most of them go to private facilities, as it is where better treatment is given. Some will not even allow their wives to deliver at our medical facilities, but rather pay huge amounts of money for them to deliver abroad. It is common that most cabinet members fall victim of this fact.
It was only last week that the Registrar of the Gambia Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Adama Sallah of Lamtoro clinic, raised concern over the alarming irregularities in the health sector. He indicated to the journalists that certain companies and institutions are conditioning their staff to visit only specific health facilities, which he said is wrong. Patients should be allowed to go to their choice of treatment centers. Sallah said the danger with such practice is that it creates unnecessary delay and hinders access to quality medical and dental care, which can have serious repercussions on the patient and family.
The concerned doctor said there are paramedics though qualified after under going some post graduate training to carry out limited supervised medical and dental practice, they do not seem to respect such limitations. Consequently they seem to assume the role of doctors and dentist and they try to carry out procedures and treatments which they are aware, they lack such merits.
If these are anything to go by, we believe that it should not only be one of condemnations, firing and hiring of ministers of health or directors of health services. Such firing and firing cannot yield a permanent solution, the health ministry saw more firing and hiring than most ministries and still the problem persists. Mr. President look at other solutions.
In addition to an inspectorate unit at the ministry that will ensure that private pharmacies are monitored and inspected with a view to ensuring that they are not stocked with public drugs. The public drug store should also be properly monitored so that what is taken outtoother out lets is taken to the right hospitals and medical facilities.
There should also with immediate effect be a commission of enquiry to look into the alleged corruption at the ministry of health, in relation to the theft of public drugs as indicated by President Jammeh. Such practices can only be confirmed if competent people are placed on such commissions, and permanent solutions put forward. Unless such is done the mere firing and hiring will not end the ugly practices which only affect the poor and the ordinary.
Source: Daily News
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 14:54:58
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| Momodou, Thanks for posting this,Hiring and fireing is not the answer solving the problem is,will this new man do it or............... |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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lurker
509 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 16:51:20
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How can anyone blame corrupt officials at the middle and lower levels , when the higher echelons are the most corrupt and the least easily charged?
One who gets caught will just be replaced by a cleverer version with new schemes and scams.
Nothing new about this.
The corruption has to be stopped at the top and that is not going to happen.
It's just PR for the top brass, who want to appear to be fighting nepotism and graft. They mostly got there by those very means.
Look at Kenya. Politicians voted in on a ticket of anti-corruption. Once in office, they promptly ban such a commission to protect their own corrupt backsides.
Mr Pres. is not exactly transparent is he, in his own financial dealings?
But he is quick to rant at doctors and dentists and lower forms of life than him and his cronies.
Corruption never leaves 3rd world countries, because they cannot function without it.
And corruption cannot function without 3rd world countries.
How am i supposed to bribe my way out of a driving offence here?
Thank god i could in Senegal, or my freetonian friend would still be swimming in pee-filled cells for not having his licence with him when he pranged a car i was borrowing from a gambian.
At least you know where you are! |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 19:42:58
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"The corruption has to be stopped at the top and that is not going to happen."
And on and on ad-infinitum 
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 20:52:40
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quote:
Originally posted by lurker
How can anyone blame corrupt officials at the middle and lower levels , when the higher echelons are the most corrupt and the least easily charged?
One who gets caught will just be replaced by a cleverer version with new schemes and scams.
Nothing new about this.
The corruption has to be stopped at the top and that is not going to happen.
It's just PR for the top brass, who want to appear to be fighting nepotism and graft. They mostly got there by those very means.
Look at Kenya. Politicians voted in on a ticket of anti-corruption. Once in office, they promptly ban such a commission to protect their own corrupt backsides.
Mr Pres. is not exactly transparent is he, in his own financial dealings?
But he is quick to rant at doctors and dentists and lower forms of life than him and his cronies.
Corruption never leaves 3rd world countries, because they cannot function without it.
And corruption cannot function without 3rd world countries.
How am i supposed to bribe my way out of a driving offence here?
Thank god i could in Senegal, or my freetonian friend would still be swimming in pee-filled cells for not having his licence with him when he pranged a car i was borrowing from a gambian.
At least you know where you are!
In the case of Gambia, Yaya Jammeh is the most rotten corrupt element. He does not require fixing. He is long overdue for total weeding out. Let Yaya stop playing around and face dictates of reality. |
Karamba |
Edited by - Karamba on 09 Nov 2009 20:54:05 |
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