Lifeline for junior doctors

Government is planning to trade-in posts for Government Medical Officers (GMOs) with already established posts for specialist doctors in provincial hospitals to address employment challenges for junior doctors coming from medical school, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Gerald Gwinji has said.

Gwinji said Government was unlikely to fill up the specialist posts in the near future, hence the option to fill the posts with GMOs.

Information at hand shows that one post for a specialist doctor is equal to two and a half posts for GMOs. This means Government can employ five GMOs on two specialist posts.