Private practice by specialists

I refer to pages 1 and 3 of your issue of Tuesday with heading ?Centre cardiaque : Troubles chez les médecins? relating to private practice allowed to Government specialists.

About 40 years ago, when I was a Principal Medical Officer (Preventive) in the Ministry of Health, here, I had prepared a paper on the subject of private practice by specialists and consultants which I submitted to the then Minister of Health to be submitted to then Head of Government. It was based on a system of ?channelled practice? existing in Sri Lanka (Ceylon in those days), which I recommended could be tried in Mauritius.

I had visited Sri Lanka.

I was told by the then Minister of Health that the Head of Government had told him that it would not be acceptable by the then cabinet.

Today the son of the Head of Government in 1967 is also a medical doctor and is our Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister is also an ex-specialist and consultant and there are ministers and doctors in the National Assembly.

I suggest that a system of channelled practice which existed in 1967 in Sri Lanka (I do not know what is the system now), can be applied here, for the population in Mauritius must have access to the best available medical and surgical treatment in the country whether it is from a doctor in private practice or from a government specialist or consultant.

I am writing to you from experience here and abroad and I invite your readers to support my plea that doctors and nurses in our country must be among the highest paid staff in the Civil Service in view of the nature of their work days and night including public holidays. I am sure that the public will agree.

I thank you for your courtesy in publishing this letter.

Dr Boodhun TEELOCK (G.O.S.K)

?Sunil Guness is a rare bird?

Following the unfair and mean remarks in the press and on air, concerning Dr Sunil Guness, eminent cardiac surgeon, by a political appointee who perhaps has no idea of the value of fully trained health personel in this country, I have no choice but to show my utter disapproval and concern on this matter. Mr Siv Potayya should know that a doctor like Sunil Guness is a rare bird and his attitude will discourage competent medical specialists to return home after their training and the repercussions will affect the population as a whole including Mr Siv Potayya himself.

It is most unprofessional to discredit a highly qualified doctor as Sunil Guness in public with a view to benefit from certain gains and/or additional votes at the next general elections.

Most political appointees with no qualifications to occupy the post allotted to them usually fail in delivering the goods with elegance. In my opinion the chairman of a trust fund should not be allowed to interfere with the day-to-day management of the unit. I would urge the Hon Prime Minister and the Minister of Health to review the appointment of certain politicians at such posts and reassure the medical profession at large that such harassment does not recur in future.

I am expressing my views on this matter in the interests or all patients suffering from cardiac disease in Mauritius.

We cannot afford to lose Dr Sunil Guness.

Dr Rayapen
CHAVRIMOOTOO