WINDHOEK - Assessments that led to a remedial programme for foreign-trained doctors came as a result of findings that ascertained some of the medical graduates lack essential skills to practice.

It was also previously found some of the trainee doctors lacked the competence to practice as health professionals, revealed the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula yesterday.
Shangula, who spoke during the official opening of the Ministry of Health and Social Services’ national management development 

forum, said Cabinet decided to establish a remedial programme under the Ministry of Health and Social Services to close the gaps on what foreign trained graduates know and what they are expected to know. 
The remedial programme was established in 2016 but there have always been challenges with the programme, he further elaborated.

“Since its introduction, the participants have experienced some challenges due to the fact that the programme was not structured in any way. It was left to the ingenuity of the departments concerned. This problem was further compounded by the big number of the foreign trained graduates thus putting more pressure on the already overburdened health system,” said Shangula.  

Given the challenges, the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the University of Namibia (Unam) and the Health Professions Councils of Namibia came together with a view to put in place structures and resources in order to make the remedial programme a success. “To this end, the three institutions decided to establish a task force on remedial programme. The purpose of the task force is to investigate the remedial programme in its current form and make recommendations on how it could be structured to meet the stated goal,” he stated.

He further noted that Namibia has a shortage of skilled human resources, particularly in the health sector. 
“Due to limited training capacity in Namibia, many students sought training outside the country. Upon their return as graduates, they found it difficult to be fully integrated in the Namibian health system,” said Shangula.  Last week, foreign trained medical graduates marched to the Zoo Park where they handed a petition to a representative of the Office of the Prime Minister. Among others, the medical graduates claim unfair evaluation by the Health Professions Council of Namibia.