http://www.guardian.co.tt/

Despite claims by resident UNDP representative to T&T Dr Inyang Ebong-Harstrup that UN doctors were being sought after at hospitals, one doctor has dismissed the allegation.

"Patients are saying they don't want to see the Cuban or UN doctors. That is the feedback we have been getting,” the doctor said.

In a report carried by TV6 yesterday, Ebong-Harstrup said she had been getting good feedback about the UN volunteer doctors.

"The patients ask for them by name, so something is going right," she said.

"They want to be treated by the UN doctor because they believe they are getting a good service."

Ebong-Harstrup also dismissed the Medical Professionals Association's allegations that the UN doctors were not specialised.

Nigerian urologist Dr Daniel Otajele said he has twice been a UN volunteer but has never experienced the kind of resistance he has encountered here.

"Certainly in all countries you always have some kind of resistance, but I have never met such resistance as I have met here in Trinidad," he said.

He said local doctors have gone so far as to ask him why he didn't go somewhere else, but he believed the reaction of his local colleagues may be completely natural.

"I woke up one day in Nigeria and found out there were 200 doctors practising in the country," he said.

"If I were a local practitioner I would ask some questions: Why are these people here? Are you here to take my job?"

Yesterday, MPATT secretary Dr Lakhan Roop declined to comment on the UNDP representative's comments.

"Doctors in the hospitals have been working with some of the UN doctors and will be filing their reports," he said.

UN volunteer doctors' salaries

Single doctor: US$1,591 per month

Volunteer doctor with one dependent: US$1,931

Volunteer doctor with two or more dependents: US$2,096

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