Folks, i am puzzle as to the role of MRC in the Gambia. People are flooding that research base daily and they are dying there. Is it a hospital like RVH or just providing an extra service to Gambian population? This needs to be assertained.
People start lining the compound as early as 3am in the morning, if not you cannot have any space to sit. folks before our people die due untrain doctors, someone need to clarify the situation. MRC is a charity and is not suppose to treat people as far i know, so why are people going there for treatment?
Suntou
ReplyDeleteMRC is a research facility; with emphasis on tropical infectious diseases in the case of the Gambia.
I don't think people die at MRC clinics in the Gambia because of "untrained" doctors ( whatever that means) as you put it, but due to the advance stage of their ailments before they seek health care.
Is it reasonable to assume that MRC employ residents fresh out of Med school or even med students to work in their clinics in the Gambia. You betcha. That happens in every country. I work in the health care field in addition to my IT career. I have worked with residents and med students in hospitals in the united states. Granted they are supervised and I believe that MRC has the same procedure in place in the Gambia. Anything short of that will be malpractice.
Thanks Ousman for that comment. I knew that the MRC reasons of existing is to conduct field research, but what is puzzling is the adoption of treating patient. If indeed they have train progessionals to treat sick people, then find, let them continue doing just that. But if the number of people dying in their facilities is anything to go by, then they are under huge pressure. I got a disparch from a researcher and charity worker who catalogue the pressures that MRC is under, that is why i asked that question.
ReplyDeleteI know they use to conduct blood test for malaria patient and some other sicknesses, what need knowing now is for them to clarify whether they also double as a hospital. Many seriously ill people according to reports prefar the MRC to RVH, may be this could be due to cost or somethimng i don't know.
Suntou,
ReplyDeleteResearch hospitals or clinics like the MRC do treat patients. Usually they are at the cutting edge of technology in health care. Therefore,MRC treating patients is just an extension of their research into tropical and other infectious diseases.
Thanks again Ousman. Well then, that is good. As you said earlier, maybe the people coming them are doing so as a last result, which means, they are seriously ill and waiting for time.
ReplyDeletehi ousman i love this site.i went to mrc with an ear infection and got far better treatment than i would get in uk.i got better really quickly compared to normal.i think i was lucky with the doctor i got.however i have noticed a reluctance amongst gambians i know,to use it.they seem to think that private is better but from what ive observed i think theyre getting ripped off(conned )by private clinics.kathy
ReplyDeleteThanks Kath for visiting, I was concern as to the amount of people i had dying in the MRC. This may be due to the terminal nature of the patients i guess. As ousman rightly said, MRC has cutting age technology and well trained doctors. But the researches carried out, how is the testing of new medications administered? i don't think MRC just research and implement without prior testing of new drugs. Someone should explain the real role of MRC to Gambians.
ReplyDelete