By Roger White

Five new physicians recruited for BUH

Oct 26, 2017 | 12:00 PM

The Battlefords Union Hospital (BUH) received some positive news on Wednesday with the announcement that five new physicians have been recruited to set up practices in the area.

Prairie North Health Region (PNHR) CEO David Fan made the announcement during October’s regular board meeting in North Battleford on Wednesday.

“Physician recruitment is an ongoing process for us,” said Fan following the meeting. “Of course without physicians we would be severely challenged in providing the medical services our community deserves.”

Fan said while the recruitment team is always looking for physicians in every department; however two particular specialties are currently of the upmost importance: psychiatrists and internists.

“We had a number of psychiatrists on staff who served the community for many years that, unfortunately for us, opted to retire,” added Fan. “I believe we had four vacancies open up within a one to two year period.”

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Fan said when a scenario like that occurs the urgency became a top priority.

“Filling a specialty position such as this is not easy,” Fan said. “Typically we need to go overseas to recruit to areas such as the U.K. and Ireland where we have had success in the past.”

As a result of recruitment, Dr. Olugbenga Alabi and Dr. Olorunfemi Ahmodu have joined psychiatric staff at the Battlefords Union Hospital effective in early October.

“We are very fortunate to have these fine physicians to our staff and now we continue to look for two more psychiatrists,” Fan added.

Like psychiatrists, internists is also a difficult specialty to recruit because of worldwide demand. However Fan reported to the PRHR that three new internists have been hired.

“One internist, Dr. Masimango Kambale, has already started his practice as of Oct. 1 and we are just waiting for work permits to come through for the others and we hope that will be complete within the next few months.”

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:  @RJWtheReporter