Threat of Medical Registrars over pay increase

By Federico Vuni

March 16, 2010 — As a concerned Sudanese I have been following this sad events, though it may sound a just demand by the Medical Registrars and if we assume that their timing is right I think they are missing the target, their eyes is on the elephant but spearing the shadow or else their intention is not what they have expressed in their demand but rather to embarrass the SPLM and derail the course of its presidential election campaign. Those doctors if they have the gut should have directed their discontent to the top leadership as the people of France, pressuring their president for more attention to domestic problems, resulted from the world economic crisis. I have thought the doctors were cleaver enough to understand the economical climate the world is going through. We are faced with worldwide serious economic recession, businesses are failing or shutting down, many have lost jobs and many more are threatened with jobs loses all over the world. The rich developed countries USA and Europe (e.g. United Kingdom, German, France, Italy, Greece), are cutting public spending, lying off staff. I would have expected the doctors to be thankful to God and grateful to their Ministry for still retaining their jobs. The demand raised by the doctors (pay increase) is silently expressed by nearly all employees within the Ministry of Health, all the government departments and the private sectors, I would have expected the doctors who consider themselves the most highly educated to understand the current situation and to exercised patience and solidarity with the masses who are less fortunate than they are. I do believe that the honourable doctors are more aware than myself of the living conditions of most of their patients who lack the most basics for living, leave alone ability to afford medical treatment cost when they fall sick, I would have expected the doctors would have thought of those vulnerable masses and use their precious voice to advocate for a change that will promise to lead the country out of the present fragmentation, conflicts and deprivation.

I strongly urge the Medical Registrars to exercise prudence and not to be carried away by political zealous and to exercise professionalism in dealing with their demands. What we are observing is becoming a political battle. No injustice (low wage) can be corrected by another injustice (strike); we are only weeks away from the general elections where the people of the Sudan will for the first time pronounce their verdict which may set a new course for history which may lead the country to prosperity. The present economic difficulty we are facing cannot be resolved by simply giving in to the doctors demands, if the government is to increase wages it should include all sectors else it will be practicing favouritism and creating inequality. The doctors strike as I may humbly judge it will achieve nothing other than derailing the national focus away from the general election, we should be focusing on scrutinising the electoral programs of those running for the presidency so that we are able to exercise our informed choice. Going on strike will only add to the misery of the Sudanese people and I am certain that an honourable medical doctor would never sacrifice the life of his/her patient to achieve his/her selfish goal.

Pressurising the Federal Minister of Health and asking for her resignation would not resolve the problem of the Sudan. The Federal Minster of Health Dr Tabita is not the problem, let us do her justice, she has spent her time in the Ministry trying to fix and refurbish the degenerated health system that she has inherited. Since the time the Federal Minister assumed the leadership of the Minister she has listened, consulted and provided an exemplar leadership of selfless dedication for the service of the Ministry and the people of Sudan. Dr Tabita always made sure the health need of the Sudanese people, and the honour of the medical profession come first and everyone in the Minister would testified for this for the fact that she has never taken leave, never been for holiday never had time for herself or her family. Let me remind all those who are irrationally backing the doctors’ strike to clearly understand that Dr Tabita, is and will continue to be an asset not only for SPLM but for the entire Sudan, she has served the Ministry with professionalism, honesty and selflessness.

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