The Gambia’s ministry of health is still unable to find a lasting solution to the human resource constraint faced by the dermatology unit of the country’s main referral hospital.
The Skin Clinic of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) continues to see an influx of patients each working day but the unit has only one dermatologist and the situation has remained worse for more than one year now. read more…
According to some patients, who spoke to JollofNews, the only dermatologist at the health facility is overworked and overstretched as his unit is always overwhelmed by patients.
Skin complications have been on the increase since rains subsided.
More than 60 patients report to EFSTH each day, complaining of dermatological disorders, JollofNews can authoritatively report.
However, the only dermatologist identified as one Vladimir from Cuba, is struggling to cope with numbers.
“He’s a brilliant dermatologist but I sometimes pity him because of the daily pressure on him from patients. Normally, he’s supposed to attend to only 40 but he sometimes bend over backwards to up to over 50 patients,” remarked our source.
Meanwhile, the ever-growing number of people with skin disorders would want the health ministry to adequately resource the skin clinic of the country’s main referral hospital.
“The doctor is kind but this situation is not sustainable. Government must act and now,” stated a complainant.
The hospital meantime lacks medications for skin problems.
