Emergency room chief's perspective

An emergency room doctor talks about healthcare

DUBAI // The number of emergency patients at Mafraq Hospital has increased by almost 50 per cent in the past few months, said Dr Biniam Tesfayohannes, the head of the hospital's emergency department.

"It is hectic in emergency care. I only know of the emergency department at Mafraq and it is getting busier by the month, with the number of patients that need emergency care increasing.

"They come in with a whole range of complaints, from very minor cases to major cases.

"On average we have 6,000 patients a month, and it has gone up to 8,500 in recent months.

"Perhaps it is because of the increase in population or birthrate. Locally, it is affecting our numbers since they are building around Khalifa City A and Khalifa City B, so the area around the hospital is getting populated with houses and flats and the shift in the demographic is affecting us.

"The number of specialists around the world is limited and is a small cohort, so internationally, everybody competes for nurses and physicians.

"Haad has a very high standard so that excludes some people from applying for work here since it demands that a person has to be fully trained and have three years of experience - and that puts off newly trained individuals who are not eligible for consultant posts.

"I know that people are applying to work here, but I guess we are all fishing in the same pond so we are competing with everybody on an international level."

* Bana al Qabbani