HCM City (VNA) - The Mekong Delta region lacksdoctors to treat major ailments like tuberculosis, leprosy and mentalillnesses, as also surgeons and forensic experts, health departmentrepresentatives said at a conference in Can Tho city this week.

The region has 160 general and specialist hospitalsincluding 21 that are specialised in treating tuberculosis and other lungdiseases, leprosy and mental illnesses. But all these facilities lack qualifieddoctors and other personnel, and the problem is set to get much worse.

Of just 152 specialist doctors, around 50 percent of the 152doctors will retire by 2020, the conference heard. 

The 12 provinces and a city in the delta region have 13forensic science centers but they have only four forensic pathologists.

Of the region’s 13 localities, as many as eight do not haveany doctor with expert knowledge of treating leprosy. In five localities, therewas no surgeon in the oncology department.

Bui Thi Le Phi, head of the Can Tho Department of Health,suggested that students doing intermediary courses (in nursing or pharmacology)who want to study further and become doctors should be given opportunities todo so, and further specialisation should be encouraged.

She said training quotas to allow such transfers should beincreased at the Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Health department officials from the provinces of Tien Giangand Bac Lieu backed Phi’s suggestion.

A representative of the Southwestern Steering Committeesuggested that the university expands its programmes so that it meetsincreasing human resource needs of the region. A university representative saidthat it would act accordingly.

By 2020, the region will have nine doctors and twopharmacists per 10,000 people, it is estimated. The current figures are 6.8 and1.9, respectively.

Another problem facing the region is that many doctors wantto quit and leave the delta.

Vinh Long province’s Health Department said 10 doctors atthe provincial general hospital have applied to quit.

A Long An Health Department official said several gooddoctors in the province have quit their jobs and moved to work in Ho Chi MinhCity.

The low salary at public hospitals is one of the reasons,representatives said, adding that the difference in salaries between provincesand city also made it difficult to retain doctors.

The conference was organised by the Can Tho University ofMedicine and Pharmacy in co-operation with the Southwest Steering Committee.-VNA