Dental Services Director Harold Pothin to quit?
HEALTH MINISTER Marie-Pierre Lloyd started a series of visits to clinics and health centres on Mahe amid reports that several senior doctors are threatening to quit and staff morale is at an all time low.
The Minister could help the health progress by resigning; she has failed to have had any positive impact since assuming the responsibility of alleviating our ailments.
It is now confirmed that the Director of Dental services, Dr Harold Pothin is leaving in April, after his contract was not renewed. Though he is approaching retirement age of 63, Dr Pothin was prepared to stay on for some time in the interest of the national health service.
Dr Pothin has been a dentist since before the country's independence and has stayed loyal through the good and bad times. Like at the Seychelles College , where he was head prefect and excelled in all sports, he was held in high esteem in the Ministry.
On retirement age, professionals, especially those of the calibre of Dr Pothin can stay on if there is mutual consent with the employing organizations.
In his case; there was no mutual consent despite a lack of dentists. The youths qualifying in Australia and New Zealand look elsewhere to “ greener pastures” even if they work their bond agreement,there is surely a case to hold on to people who have proved their mettle.
This newspaper contacted Dr Pothin, but beyond confirmation of his compulsory retirement, he was unwilling to say much, though we understand he is appealing his case outside of the ministry. We hope in the national interest that he is successful in doing so.
He was purposefully left out of the delegation, which accompanied the minister on her tour this week, seen as a publicity stunt.
The ministerial delegation stopped at expensive Allamanda Hotel for lunch and even travelling on to Silhouette, where the little clinic is run by the resort there.,,Meanwhile, the cash- strapped ministry could do with a new dialysis machine.
Dr Henriette, director of specialized care, in addition to being in charge of the Accident and Emergencies Unit, resigned from the first post late last year. He has since been replaced by Dr Gabriel, wife of Health Commissioner Jude Gedeon.
Unless the ministry is careful, Dr Henriette could leave and also Dr Reginald.
This newspaper was shocked to hear Minister Lloyd state at Beau Vallon that there are no doctors for district clinics, where she had no less than three practitioners with her, just sitting down at administrative work.
President Michel is aware of some of the problems in the Health Ministry and for this reason is looking towards Cuba and India.
It is unclear, whether he knows that bureaucracy, too many doctors sitting in offices or treading on one another's toes, are factors impacting negatively on the smooth running of the health service causing serious problems both for administration staff and patients. The minister is also an impediment she is high on talk but very little on substance, she is certainly not an action lady.
It is also said that the Cubans and Moroccans are already unhappy at the present situation. It is time for the minister to go before the health service suffers another major breakdown.
Source: Lenouveauseychellesweekly 2-3-10