Sudan’s 1st VP sorrowful over migration of physicians from the country
October 7, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese First Vice President, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, has expressed regret over the migration of tens of thousands of medical personnel from the country but nonetheless described them as ambassadors in their host countries.
Mahmoud said that immigrants in 2012 included 1,620 physicians who were forced by lack of jobs and poor salaries to look for better opportunities abroad.
Many bitter physicians say that a hard-working car-washer earns more per month than a junior doctor.
The 1st VP affirmed the government’s commitment to improving doctors’ working conditions and pointed that medical services have greatly improved compared to the colonization era when surgical operations used to be performed under the light of a “lantern”.
Taha, who was addressing the opening ceremony of a doctors’ training institute at Sudan’s Doctors’ Union (SDU) on Monday, underscored the presidency’s commitment to support SDU projects including building comfortable housing and offering cars by installments for doctors.
He also conveyed the government’s acceptance of all suggestions aiming at promoting the medical environment and specialties, promising to cut doctors’ taxes.
In a related issue, the Sudanese ministry of health acknowledged existence of carcinogenic food in the markets, announcing that it would conduct a national health survey on students’ food and disclose its findings next November.
The director of the school health department at the ministry of health, Leila Hamad Al-Neel, said in a workshop on Monday that they have a plan to fight against hawkers and issue health cards for food sellers.
She pointed out that students comprise 25% of the population, adding that they are the most vulnerable to respiratory, gastrointestinal, and oral diseases.
Sudan suffers a major problem in commodities specifications and standards.
A report issued last July by the inspector general in Sudan’s Khartoum capital state revealed that Khartoum State Water Corporation (KSWC) is using carcinogenic substances including solid polymer, powder and chlorine in water treatment besides importing materials which do not conform to standards and specifications.
(ST)