“Since I arrived in Sierra Leone about 10 months ago, I found out that the ratio of patients to a doctor is very high, which means that more doctors and specialised ones too are needed to alleviate the suffering of the people of Sierra Leone”
This was the statement made by Bone Specialist in the Jui hospital Dr Tang Qi in an interview with Awoko this week.
Medical specialists are doctors he said who have completed advanced education and clinical training in a specific area of medicine (their specialty area). Examples of medical specialists include: Obstetrics and gynaecology, Paediatric, cardiology and Anaesthesiology
Dr Tang said in China he was focus more on Sports injuries and has been doing many bone operations in China, but because there is lack of education on Athletes to visit hospital when they have fractures and broken bones in Sierra Leone. He is now working on all bone problems in the hospital.
He averred that he has done research on the country’s medical field and there are not many specialised doctors, which he says is not good for the growth of the country’s health system.
“In Medicine there must be doctors that specialised in different areas and not one doctor trying to be a specialist in all areas. It is not good because there will be many trials and error, and when a doctor makes a mistake, the patient dies or become deform for life.”
Dr Tang said since he started working at the friendship hospital he has been treating patients with injuries on the hip, spine, broken ribs and bones etc. He said he sees about 80 patients a week and have done 60 successful operations over a 10 month period.
“There is another problem that I do not understand in Sierra Leone. People come to the hospital with broken bones that need surgery to correct the problem, but some of these patients when you tell them that the only way to fix them up is through operation. As soon as you talk about operation they refuse and leave. I really don’t understand why.”
The Bone Specialist averred that it seems there has been lack of trust between doctors and patients in the country. This he said must be addressed now so that these patients will have confidence on their doctors to treat them well.
He called on all those who have bone issues, problems with their spine, hip, feet and broken ribs to come to the Jui hospital and get their problems fix.
Dr Tang said if he has the opportunity, he will like to work with students from College of Medicine to help them become specialists in their different fields. He said he has been operating for the past 10 years and have wealth of knowledge in modern medicine and operation.
He is from Changsha the capital of Hunan Province from the second Sanya hospital where he has been working over the years.
Awoko Friday, April 07, 2017.
Sierra Leone Life Coach 