Dream and reality

DR. ABDUL Ghaffar Abdul Ghafoor, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry for Therapeutic Medicine Affairs, has said that the Ministry of Health will achieve total Emiratisation of the General Practioners’ section in hospitals nationwide by 2010.

But it looks a tall order to us. Despite several years’ drive, Emeritisation has reached only 12 per cent. So, we are sceptical of the claim that 100 per cent would be achieved in another five years.

The reason is not far to seek. Even if the country has one more new college of medicine that could produce more medical graduates, it would take several years for them to acquire enough field expertise.

Most visitors to public hospitals are nationals and no one would have been harmed if localisation was given more attention, since it affects people’s life.