Brava: Doctor evaluates route on the island and says the situation “is better” despite the need to “work even harder”
The doctor and Health Delegate from Ilha Brava highlighted today that his “greatest misfortune” in his three years of practicing as a doctor was the loss of a patient, at the beginning of his arrival in the municipality.
In an interview with Inforpress on this National Doctor's Day, Hélder Pires also considered that his biggest career challenge so far was accepting to work in the municipality of Brava, highlighting that when he arrived on the island a “fatality” occurred, which was the loss of a patient on the trip to the island of Fogo.
“That misfortune was a shock that made me grow and made me learn to be a little stronger, of course no one wanted this fatality to happen, I did my best, however, not everything depended on me and that's why we couldn't avoid the worst”, he lamented, ensuring that now the process of transporting patients is “really safer”.
Hélder Pires highlighted that in these three years of practice he has worked in the Fogo region and that he is currently in Brava, “a big challenge”, as the municipality's Health delegate.
“Any doctor appointed to work in this municipality must come very prepared, taking into account that the municipality has many difficulties in terms of medicinal conditions and the population is quite demanding. Therefore, we are being challenged to perform our functions in the best possible way and in the most perfect way that is humanly possible”, he noted.
Furthermore, he considered that in Brava there is the challenge of transporting patients to the island of Fogo, which, sometimes, he informed, the decision has to be taken instantly or even under pressure.
As explained by the same source, the process of transferring a patient to the island of Fogo or the city of Praia is only permitted when the hospital is unable to provide the patient with the necessary treatment, taking into account that, in several cases in the municipality, There are no ways to make the diagnosis.
Pires also highlighted the idea of having a full-time obstetrician gynecologist in the municipality, which, according to him, would help “a lot”, since some cesarean deliveries would be carried out here on the island and there would be no need to transport the patient to another municipality.
Regarding the actions of the Cape Verdean Medical Association (OMC), he considered that they are always in contact with professionals, however he stated that they should do “even more for the class”.
“The WTO has been providing us with some training, but I think they could improve, that is, providing specialized training, not short-term training that really helps, but is not as applicable”, he highlighted.
The clinician also stated that the salaries of doctors in Cape Verde “need to be improved”, as they receive “a miserable amount”.
“If a doctor is not in a management position, or is not working overtime, the salary will not be much,” he concluded.
National Doctor's Day, January 17th, was approved by the National Assembly by law 12/VI/2002 of July 15th, and aims to encourage the creation of conditions aimed at motivation, satisfaction and improvement in the performance of doctors; ensure social recognition of the importance and necessity of practicing the medical profession.
