Doctors resent delay in pay rise

Dubai: The public healthcare system under the Health Ministry is heading for trouble, doctors warn, unless authorities deliver on their promise, made over a year ago, to increase their salaries and those of other staff.

Health Minister Humaid Al Qutami promised to revise the pay structure and increase the salaries of ministry staff to put them on par with the Abu Dhabi and Dubai health authorities, when he took office early last year.

The last pay increase by the ministry was about a decade ago.

About 20 ministry doctors and other medical staff, represented by the Emirates Medical Association (EMA), said during an informal meeting with the Ministry of Health that the delay in the pay rise is contributing to other issues including staff shortages, overworked doctors and a decline in the quality of care.

Closed wards

Wards have had to close down, patients moved and turned away from ministry hospitals, which handle the majority of medical cases in the Northern Emirates, because there were not enough doctors and nurses to attend to the patients, they added.

"In an environment of shortages, where there is a lack of equipment and medicines, for sure some mistakes will happen," warned Dr Essam Howayyer, resident at the paediatrician unit at Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah.

Al Qutami said he would not comment on the issue now.

Discussions during the three-hour meeting, held on Thursday night, often became contentious. A few walked out during the discussion, saying that it was a waste of time.

"We want to know at this stage of time what will happen, or the time frame in which it will happen. Why should we stay and waste our time?" said Dr Eman Al Houli, resident at the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department at Al Qasimi Hospital.

She told Gulf News that many doctors at the hospital had resigned because of the low pay, leaving them short-staffed and forcing many to work extra shifts with little backup at the hospital and no compensation.

She said doctors with her qualifications working for the Abu Dhabi Health Authority and Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) made 25 to 35 per cent more money. She earns less than Dh12,000 a month.

Dr Eman said the staff shortages have also negatively affected her and other residents' medical training.

Training

"I'm a junior doctor. I need more training. But the consultant who is supposed to train me is busy covering two hospitals [because of the shortage].

"I need four to five years to achieve here what a resident abroad can achieve in one year," she added. Dr Mariam Mattar, Assistant Undersecretary of Public Health and Primary healthcare and ministry representative at the meeting, admitted the low pay structure made it hard for the ministry to attract qualified doctors.

Some applicants will not accept the salary, she said, and those who do, take the training and leave after a few years to go into private practice.

She also assured the doctors that the ministry has not forgotten the issue of staff salary increase.

"It is still one of the priorities, although it may not be No 1," she said, promising that ministry medical staff would see some increase in their basic salary by the end of the year.

"I am taking full responsibility for what I am saying right now," she added, when some doctors expressed doubt.

Doctors, however, were still not convinced that work conditions would improve anytime soon.

"We believe her because she gave her word of honour, but we're not holding our breath," said Dr Salim Mohammad, general practitioner at Al Qasimi Hospital.

Dr Jasem Khalfan Humaid, Secretary-General of the EMA, told Gulf News that they would continue pushing for the rights of all medical staff at the health ministry.

"We are not fighting only for UAE doctors, we are also fighting for non-national staff, who are earning even less than us," he added. The EMA serves 6,138 doctors and medical staff employed by the Ministry of Health.

This is also happening in Abu Dhabi. Old staff are still getting the same salary while the new staff are earning triple our salary.
Joy
Abu Dhabi,UAE

I am due to qualify as a physician this year, and will be returning home to the UAE. I would not even consider for a second wasting my time applying to the Ministry of Health, as I am very well aware from accounts of other doctors how bad the situation is there in terms of work hours and pay. Although doctors should not make money their goal in work, given the amount of time and effort put into practice of medicine, it is ridiculous to assume that anyone would agree to do this for such a low pay when there are many other jobs available out there that pay much more for much less effort.
MS
Dublin,Ireland