Somalilandsun- Local universities have over the years produced a large number of first degree medical doctors thence sufficient to cater for related needs all over Somaliland.
This is per the Somaliland National Health Profession Commission-NHPC which is statutory body enacted by the Health Regulatory Act 19/2001 original passed by parliament in 1999.
According to a statement posted at its website http://www.nhpcsomaliland.org/index.php the commission informed the health sector operatives that only expatriate Doctors with advanced specializations and teaching capabilities shall be approved for registration and license.
“To this effect foreign General Physicians shall no longer be allowed work Permits in Somaliland” Read the NHPC Statement adding that as from now henceforth all employers of foreign health professionals should submit relevant documents of any expatriates they intent to employ prior to entry in to the country.
Somaliland Health sector both private and public is employer to a large number of expatriate medical practitioners from all over the world but mostly from Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Syria.
According to Dr Ahmed Hashi Nur ‘Oday’ the chairman of NHPC , “The commission�s mandate is to protect the public by ensuring the quality of health care provided by Health Professionals and Health Care Facilities as well as assessing and monitoring Health Training Institutions in order to ensure adherence to the standards set for health training and education.
Speaking to Dawan newspaper, Dr Oday also revealed that his commission is behind the arrest of a foreigner quack Doctor who has been operating as surgeon in the country for almost two months.
“Apart from the fake surgeon we have also seen to the arrest of another foreigner whose medical testimonials were not only suspicious but his base of operations never made public”
Stating that the government
On the notice about acceptance of only expatriate Doctors with advance specialization, the NHPC boss said that for a number of years local universities with medical faculties have been graduating General Practitioners thence now sufficient to cater for related services.
Said he, ‘ since we have local who are General Physicians, it is therefore prudently to register expatriate Doctors with specialized skills”
To ensure that quality of health provision in the country is not only satisfactory but also meets legal requirements, Dr Oday said that the NHPC is set for a nationwide inspection of all medical facilities both private and public.
“The commission wants to establish a data base of all health facilities and practitioners in Somaliland” said the NHPC boss stressing that availability of such shall enhance services within the sector.
Arguing that Somaliland is now out of the reconstruction and into Development stage , Dr Oday was emphatic that the health sector must also run tandem with this status.
“Let me reiterate that there are locals and in sufficient numbers with general medical practice skills thence expatriates for the same does not make sense”
The NHPC which is approves medical practitioners shall be very stringent in its investigation of applications for licensing foreign Doctors, revealed the NHPC chief adding that the core of this investigation shall be testimonials.
According to Dr Oday many foreigners produce testimonials that are very suspicious in relation to their age vis ‘a’ Vis experience “imagine a 30 year old doctor claiming to have performed over a hundred surgical operations”
On the functions of the Somaliland National Health Professional Commission, Dr Oday Siad the NHPC has Four-core objectives geared towards apt health provision on Somaliland namely
• Register and License health practitioners, provide guidance and directions while monitoring their professional conduct and Continues Educational Development.
• Register and license all health care facilities (both public and private) and evaluate them periodically to assure the fulfillment of health regulatory standards
• Accredit and provide a national recognition for approved health training programs for health training Institutions. And
• Investigate complaints, malpractice and misconducts of health professionals and health care facilities and take disciplinary actions.
In conclusion the NHPC chairman Dr Ahmed Hashi Nur ‘Oday informed that his commission also “provides the names of registered and licensed health professions and health care facilities to the public on request”
