Latest update August 4th, 2026 12:30 AM
Health system has need for more respectful doctors – RHS Director
The health sector is in dire need for human resources. As such there will be no problem for the Ministry of Public Health to find vacancies for qualified doctors.
Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Kay Shako
This assertion was recently made by Director of Regional Health Services [RHS], Dr. Kay Shako. In fact she told recently graduated medical students, “The reality is that we can find vacancies for all of you, but you have to go through the process of becoming a doctor.”
Even as she pointed out that being a doctor is a noble profession, Dr. Shako noted that “not many persons will have the opportunity to say ‘I am a doctor’ because of the perseverance it takes to get to that level”. And it is important to be meticulous, the RHS Director underscored, as she emphasised the fact that “you are dealing with lives.”
It is for this reason, she noted, that those aspiring to be in the medical profession must be prepared to accept the fact that “it is a sacrificial profession, because when your other friends would have looked as though they are enjoying freedom in life, you will be doing the honour of being on call and setting up late at nights.”
“Sometimes you may feel as though that you probably entered the wrong profession,” considered Dr. Shako. She however added, “It is pretty rewarding, especially when you would have attended to a patient and you would have worked hard to rehabilitate that patient back into society.”
But according to the Director of RHS, although there will be some challenges, sustained efforts must be made to properly manage patients.
Among the traits of highly effective doctors, she said, are to be humane, respectful, honest and forthright. This is particularly useful when a patient is diagnosed with a terminal condition such as cancer.
“I don’t want you to treat your patients as data, but treat them in terms of a touch, in terms of a hug, in terms of compassionate words…letting the patients know that you care for them. Don’t call your patients by the condition they have, but call them by their names,” urged Dr. Shako.
In fact, she pointed out that the hallmark of a good doctor is to promote healthy lifestyles.
“In other words, don’t just tell the patients about it and you are not doing it. For example, you may tell your patients you should not smoke, but then you are smoking at some point. We have had reports about that, but you have to promote healthy lifestyles not only by telling the patients, but by doing it yourself,” Dr. Shako asserted.
Added to this, she emphasised the need for doctors to be unbiased. In so doing, she underscored that doctors should not take pride themselves in listening to opinions from others about their patients that they cannot prove.
“Talk with your patients, be transparent as far as possible and allow your patients to have a say, do not show prejudice,” she asserted.
Although Dr. Shako, has stressed the need for additional health workers to be retained, she underscored that their knowledge must be ever evolving.
“Your patients want you to be involved in research, they want you to tell them about new techniques,” said Dr. Shako, as she added that “patients want you to be focused as well.”
There have been reports, Dr. Shako said, that “while doctors are talking with patients, some of them are doing something else, some of them are on their phones…in other words they are not showing their patients the attention that is necessary for them to relate to them. So just be focused on your patients and let them understand that they are valued and respected.”
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Some doctors are dismissive to patients. Especially those at the government hospitals.