Central Highlands hospitals face personnel shortage

The Dak Lak Province Preventive Health Centre is a major medical facility in the Central Highlands but in severe lack of doctors. Pham Van Lao, the centre's director, said personnel shortage, especially skilled doctors, had badly affected their daily operation.

In addition, 61 doctors have left their jobs at the Central Highlands General Hospital. Hospital director Nguyen Dai Phong said there were many reasons but the most common were work pressures and low salaries.

"Some of them opened private clinics, some joined private hospitals," Phong said.

Many people worry that the service quality at public hospitals will decrease along with the personnel shortage.

"If no solution is implemented, we’ll have to go to hospitals in Hanoi, Danang and HCM City for better service quality," said Nguyen Thi Hai, a local in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province.

The authorities in Dak Nong Province have built a plan for the 2015-2020 period to attract talents to the medical sector in the area. According to the plan, the authorities will provide VND180m to VND300m in financial support to doctors and pharmacists with a bachelor degree that agree to work in the province. They will be given priority if they want to buy land to build a house.

Dak Nong has only attracted 20 doctors and pharmacists in the past four years. Most people wish to stay in big cities since they can have easier access to the latest technology development.

Many medical facilities in the Central Highlands are still adjusting their plans to attract new doctors. Besides preferential treatment, Gia Lai General Hospital opened a new high-quality treatment wing where doctors can increase their incomes noticeably by working extra shifts.

Pham Ba My, director of Gia Lai General Hospital, said, "Experienced doctors can choose to work in the fields that they are most confident in. We can offer support in monthly allowance or help in finding a house that worth their talents if doctors in other provinces want to go to Gia Lai."

Lao Dong/Dtinews