Staffing for effective care

THE government’s decision to approve the Health Ministry’s request for additional staff to fill the shortage at its hospitals and clinics is welcomed indeed. The Public Service Department has agreed for 10,675 posts, which include doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and other medical officers, to be added to the current 280,000 civil servants in the health sector.

While there is no denying that an increasing workload in public health facilities is becoming a burden to healthcare staff, we also need to admit that there is a serious structural problem. An increase in the number would not solve the issue.