Africa-Press – Cape verde. The president of the Order of Cape Verdean Doctors (OMCV), Danielson da Veiga, considers that the country has made “some mistakes” in terms of health since independence and defends a focus on medical training and continuity of policies.“Since independence, Cape Verde has made some mistakes in relation to the health system program”, assessed the doctor, in an interview with the Lusa agency, although recognizing that in practical terms the country has achieved successes, thanks to the resilience of its people.
“But a doctor receives little money, has no time to dedicate himself to his family, to the education of his children and is sometimes in hospitals almost 24 hours a day. And he’s not even there to put pressure on, to take to the streets to carry out strikes”, he described, remembering that there has never been a major doctors’ strike in the country.
“Although there have always been complaints from doctors. But, knowing that they are resilient people, they do a lot with little”, he argued, noting that in Cape Verde there has never been a plan for continuous training of doctors.
“I am a specialist in the area of surgery because I chose surgery out of love for this area, but it was not a political orientation of the system”, lamented the president, recognizing that some plans had already been made in the sector, but there was never any continuity on the part of successive governments.
“We are left in this situation and we have to count on cooperation”, he said, in the interview with Lusa, regarding the approval in parliament, on December 8, of the proposed law on donation, harvesting and transplantation of human organs.
“In a little while we will complete 50 years of independence, we should now have all the specialists in all areas, with several regional hospitals and counting on our specialists, specifically Cape Verdeans”, insisted Danielson da Veiga, for whom there is a “training hunger” in Cape Verde.
Therefore, he suggested investing in those who do not have the financial means to study and the creation of a fund for training in the country.
The thing is, as I said, the country has few specialist doctors and there is a lack of other health technicians, causing those that do exist to work long hours, leaving them at an “impasse” regarding their qualifications and validation of their competence.
“The population may feel that the doctor did not treat them well, knowing that this doctor was already working 24 hours a day, at his peak”, he stated, therefore asking for “a lot of change” and “greater involvement” between politicians and technicians from all areas.
According to information on the official OMCV website, the order has 723 registered doctors and 60 health structures.
Two years ago, the University of Cape Verde (Uni-CV) placed the first 17 doctors trained in the country on the market, in a partnership with the University of Coimbra.
The Government also has the Cape Verde National Hospital (HNCV) project underway, which should be built in the Achada Limpo area, Praia municipality, with a maximum capacity of 134 beds, 12 of which for intensive care.
Budgeted at 7.2 billion escudos (65 million euros), expected to be completed – although the work has not yet been launched – within four years, the unit aims to improve the level of healthcare and reduce treatments abroad.
According to the Government, the future health infrastructure will not replace the country’s two public central hospitals – Agostinho Neto, in Praia, and Batista de Sousa, in São Vicente –, but rather complement the available offer and maximize resources. The Week with Lusa
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