~Recruitment stepped up for midwives ~
PHILIPSBURG--Seven "experienced" obstetrician/gynaecologists from the Netherlands will be working on a rotational basis at St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) for the remainder of the year to guarantee the delivery of quality women's health care.
The timetable released showed that there should be at least two gynaecologists operating at SMMC at any given time and at least four serving St. Maarten, taking into consideration the two that currently operate here.
Efforts are also in the pipeline to set up a new "organisation on women's health" for St. Maarten, SMMC director Dr. George Scot told reporters at a press conference hosted jointly with Health Commissioner Hyacinth Richardson on Friday.
SMMC has also embarked on a campaign to recruit additional midwives to further guarantee the quality delivery of women's health care.
Concerns had been expressed that women's health care would be jeopardised with the departure of long-serving gynaecologist Dr. Ray Tjon-Kon-Fat, who ended his practice in St. Maarten this week and will be returning to his native Suriname. Dr. Randall Friday and Dr. Michel Petit are two other gynaecologists operating here.
The seven new gynaecologists who will be practising at SMMC are: Dr. Robert Verweij, Dr. Marieke Houwert, Dr. Gerard Wennink, Dr. Dick Bisschop, Dr. Ad, Nuijten, Dr. A.J.A Douglas, and Dr. Dieke Smit.
Dr. Verweij will start on Monday, March 15. Each gynaecologist will be operating here for between three and four months.
Scot said the intention is to select two from among the gynaecologists to operate here on a long-term basis. He said two of the seven gynaecologists have already indicated interest in working here long-term; three said they first wanted to experience the island; and two would be available for "continuity of care" (to provide service in the absence of any of the gynaecologists).
The seven specialists all work in different hospitals in the Netherlands.
Scot said with these provisions now in place, the delivery of quality care for women in St. Maarten is assured. He however, cautioned that the island does not have sufficient women patients to offset the expenses that will be incurred as a result of having the specialists. He said the hospital will have to recoup costs from other areas such as its Dialysis and Radiology Centres, to name a few.
On the issue of the midwives, Scot said a campaign has started to attract at least two new midwives. Up until now, Regina Janga is the only midwife operating in St. Maarten. Scot said there were three St. Maarteners, one of whom just completed her studies and is gaining experience and two others who are currently in training in the field, who are interested in returning home.
He said SMMC will work with their schedule to accommodate them, but stressed that the hospital wanted experienced individuals.
Scot said St. Maarten cannot be compared to bigger countries such as the United States and the Netherlands and stressed it was important that people are "realistic" on these issues.
Richardson said he has had many deliberations with stakeholders on the issue of guaranteeing quality medical care for women and he was happy that as of Monday a specialist will start and will be joined by another specialist in March.
The commissioner said he is aware that St. Maarten is still in need of more specialists in other areas. "With this in mind, as we continue to work towards country St. Maarten and the betterment of this island, I along with the relevant stakeholders will continue to do whatever is within our power to ensure that you the people are able to obtain adequate medical care," Richardson said.
