Government to fire errant medical doctors

Errant medical doctors will now face disciplinary action for misconduct and persistent offenders will be fired as the Government abandons its policy of being lenient with offenders.

The doctors were being demoted or issued with warnings for cases of misconduct.

Principal director for curative services in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Christopher Tapfumaneyi, last week said medical professionals had become "too relaxed" because of the lenient punishment. "The system had been lenient with these professionals because there were few of them in the country, but now we will not hesitate to fire any individual found guilty of an offence," Dr Tapfumaneyi said.

His remarks come after the dismissal of a doctor from Mashonaland Central found guilty of three charges of misconduct on different occasions.

The doctor, whose name was not revealed, is said to have failed to attend to an emergency at the maternity ward when he was on call.

He refused to assist patients involved in a road accident on two occasions.

Dr Tapfumaneyi said medical professionals with psychiatric problems who were previously admitted into service would now be relieved of their duties if they fail to handle their condition.

He said such doctors should control their condition accordingly so that they do not get worse and disrupt smooth service to patients.

Previously, doctors with psychiatric problems were allowed into service as long as they take their medication to keep their condition under control.

They work under the supervision of another doctor.

"If they fail to control their condition and prove to be a burden to their supervisor, we will fire them as well," Dr Tapfumaneyi said.

He said doctors who fail to attend to emergencies when they are on call and those who "behave like thugs" will face the axe.

"We have heard of doctors who behave like thugs when they are at work, who fail to attend to emergencies when they are on call resulting in deaths and those who rush to do certain medical procedures for the love of money," said Dr Tapfumaneyi.

"These and many other cases will thoroughly be investigated and dealt with accordingly."

Dr Tapfumaneyi said in terms of salaries and incentives, health workers are better paid than any other civil servants in the country and they ought to offer a service to the community as well.

"Of course all things will go by stages and will be done professionally," he said.

Comments