Spencer

Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Health Minister Rudyard Spencer says doctors who are found to be operating illegally in Jamaica will be taken from the system and prosecuted.

Mr. Spencer's comments come after concerns raised by the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) that doctors, especially those who studied abroad, were unlicensed and were therefore operating illegally on the island.

To be a registered doctor in Jamaica, physicians have to pass a qualifying medical examination. It is believed that as many as six of every 10 medical doctors are unregistered.

Under the Medical Act, medical doctors are required to register with the Medical Council of Jamaica and obtain a practising certificate, which equates to their licence. The licence expires on January 31 each year.

To qualify for renewal, the doctor must complete at least 10 hours of continuing medical education.

In an advertisement recently, the Medical Council of Jamaica expressed concerns over the number of doctors who were operating illegally.

"If there are unregistered doctors practising in our country, it means our people are not safe," Mr. Spencer told The Gleaner yesterday.

He added: "That is unacceptable and this minister in consultation with the MAJ will do everything to ensure that these people are taken out and prosecuted."

Meanwhile, Dr. Rosemarie Wright-Pascoe, president of the MAJ, says her association will early next year have dialogue with the Medical Council of Jamaica to determine what punishment can be levied against illegal doctors.

Dr. Wright-Pascoe explained that before to passing the local examinations, doctors who are employed from abroad are allowed to work in health facilities under the supervision of other doctors. She noted that they are not allowed to set up private practice.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com