[ad_1]
A country New South Wales doctor says many rural and regional healthcare workers will likely want to reunite with their families now that travel is less restrictive — potentially adding extra pressure to an already exhausted workforce.
Key points:
- A regional doctor finally reunites with his sick mother in Sri Lanka
- Dr Alam Yoosuff warns many healthcare workers are eager to reunite with family after gruelling periods of lockdown
- He says absences might affect an already exhausted workforce
Dr Alam Yoosuff, who is based in Finley in the Riverina region, has flown to Sri Lanka to visit his sick mother following an easing of state and international border restrictions.
He warns many others in the sector may be looking for similar reunions with loved ones.
“There are many nurses and allied health services who are overseas trained and who migrated and settled here and call Australia home.”
Dr Yoosuff expects many will want to take some leave and reunite with interstate and overseas family in the coming year.
When asked by the ABC, the Murrumbidgee Local Health District and the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network were unable to determine the number of doctors in their regions who had gained their primary qualifications overseas.
“MPHN acknowledges the importance for all primary healthcare staff to take regular breaks to ensure they maintain their own health and wellbeing,” MPHN ccting CEO Julie Redway said.
‘There’s a human rights aspect’
While Dr Yoosuff is relived to be in Sri Lanka, he is also calling for more compassion from the federal government.
His initial application to leave the country to be with his sick mother was rejected.
He said border closures had taken a “significant” toll on many people.
“It was a straightforward thing,” he said.
“I think I should have qualified for [an exemption], but I didn’t take it that seriously because the government and the mechanism [of] how it works has to protect lots of interests, not only my interests.”
He called on the government to not take a black-and-white approach to border closures and travel restrictions, saying people’s health and wellbeing should be considered.
“We need to be able to balance those to make the right health decisions.
“We have to protect Australians, we have people dying and getting sick because of the pandemic in this country, [but] we also have to care for people who have connections to other places in the world.”
[ad_2]
Source link