Yemeni doctors: To heal or to steal [Archives:2006/941/Community]

Samar Mujalli
Healthcare is considered a major factor in a country's development. In Yemen however,the healthcare system is weak, its development is stagnant and people's lives are being destroyed due to improper healthcare. And then again, no one seems to care enough to do something about it. Yemen is indeed going through a serious healthcare crisis.

Corruption in Yemen comes in all shapes and sizes; corruption in healthcare is definitely the most rampant in the country. According to World Health Organization (WHO) Yemen is the lowest ranked Arab country in the healthcare fields and in any healthcare progress or development. With more than 2000 hospitals, laboratories, and care centers in Yemen; it would seem the only reason these exist is to collect money. According to world development indicator statistics, there are not enough doctors in Yemen. There is only one doctor for every 218 patients while in European countries there is one doctor for every 7 patients. Not only do we not have enough doctors in Yemen, we don't have sufficiently qualified doctors. The World Health statistics sites Yemen as having an annual growth rate of 3.44 (2004 est.). That means more people every year are born and less qualified doctors to do the work, unless something is done to solve the problem.

Horrible medical mistakes have led to patient deaths. “My sister was having a minor problem so we took her to the hospital. The doctor gave her a shot. He was not qualified and didn't pay attention to his job. The shot he gave her contained a small amount of air which led to her death. My sister is dead because of a doctor who doesn't know basic