GREAT BAY (GIS)— Commissioner of Health Hyacinth Richardson and the medical director of St. Maarten medical center announced on Friday the arrival of two new gynecologists who would begin working at the St. Maarten Medical Center as early as Monday.
Commissioner Richardson, said that he has had many deliberations with stakeholders to ensure optimal gynecology and obstetrics care on St. Maarten thus enabling his staff to secure the additional specialists.
Richardson said the first of the two much needed specialists will begin working as of Monday March 15. The commissioner said he is aware that the medical institution would need more specialists and they are continuing to work towards finding a permanent solution for the island people to achieve better medical care.
Dr. George Scot said that since the year 2000, there have been three doctors in this field. Last year one of the doctors left, and with the leaving of another, there was a need to attract doctors in gynecology. There is need for at least three to four permanent gynecologists on St. Maarten
Following a number meetings, and with the cooperation and assistance of a medical institution in the Netherlands, we are working with a pool of 7 gynecologists, two of which will be working on a 3-4 month rotation basis. One will start on March 15th, and this doctor will be replaced by two other doctors on April 1st. Thus there will be two at the Hospital plus Doctors Friday and Petit, and the Midwife Ms. R Janga.
Scot added that out of the pool of 7 gynecologists, it will have to be determined which two are going to work with the Medical center/on St. Maarten on a long term basis.
In addition, there are efforts being made to acquire two midwives from abroad. There are currently two persons from St. Maarten studying to be a mid wife; and another who has completed her studies, but currently working in the Netherlands—all three have indicated that they are willing to return, so we, Dr. Scot said, we are having discussions and staying in communication.
On the short term basis however, they are speaking to two midwives, one from Suriname and the other from the Netherlands, who are willing to work on St. Maarten. Dr. Scot said he does not know exactly when the two midwives would be able to start working on St. Maarten. The Medical Director further explained that in order to secure Women's Health the institution was forced to accept the rotation basis for the year 2010 since the two gynecologists that have indicated that they are willing to work on St. Maarten for a longer period can only do so as of 2011. He said finding fully rounded specialists are very difficult to find since the island is rather small and does not offer all the advantages in the medical field for younger specialists.
