The Bhutanese Leading the way.
There is some controversy over the fact that some foreign nurses are being paid more than Bhutanese nurses.
However, the sad reality is that if Bhutanese nurses are paid significantly better than now, then there would be hue and cry from other civil servants from other sectors. This is because the pay of our medical professionals is pegged to that of other civil servants with a few allowances added.
It is high time that we think of some out of the box solutions to retain our medical professionals and fast.
One such measure being considered is making a different career path for medical professionals with entry at higher levels and a fast career path upwards. This is a welcome idea and initiative.
The government and the RCSC should further supplement this with higher pay for medical professionals.
The first resistance to this may come from fellow civil servants, but it is high time we recognize that we cannot treat medical professionals like ordinary civil servants.
It will only take a visit to the hospital to see their tremendous workload, the long hours, the nature of work, the risks and the high stress. One can argue that certain other sectors of the civil service also have long hours and stress but here there are three key differences.
One is that for others it does not involve saving human health and lives. Secondly, there is a growing scarcity of medical professionals being tempted abroad with much higher pay.
The third key difference is that unlike other sectors of the civil service the health sector and particularly JDWNRH is nearing collapse due to a high attrition rate.
We are losing both experienced professionals as well as sheer numbers.
The current loss of medical professionals that went up after the pandemic is not sustainable.
We all agree that health is the most critical service that we all need, and if it is so, then it is time to walk the talk.
While pay and a career path are the main factors, we must also look at improving their working conditions and give them better facilities.
There will still be those who will leave even after all this as the pull is too strong, but it will definitely reduce the attrition rate.
“Every nurse was drawn to nursing because of a desire to care, to serve, or to help.”
– Christina Feist-Heilmeier