Dear Editor
I refer to a letter under the caption ‘Foreign healthcare workers should be fluent in English and Creolese’ in Stabroek News of November 5 by Sherlina Nageer.
Being cognizant of the fact that over the last few years there has been an influx of doctors from non-English speaking countries and universities, the Medical Council of Guyana has been involved in trying to enforce the conditions of registration, one of which is that medical practitioners seeking registration can communicate satisfactorily in English.
This has been a difficult task as many of these persons came through the government as a consequence of bilateral treaties. However, effective of 1st January 2015 all doctors from non-English speaking countries who have graduated from non-English language universities are expected to pass an English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) set by the University of Guyana before acquiring their registration.
Initially they only needed to pass the basic language skill exam. However, after an audit was done it was deemed necessary for them to pass the intermediate level exam with emphasis placed on spoken English. The test carries three components: reading/comprehension, written expression, and orals.
Members of the general public are also given the opportunity to report directly to the Medical Council any difficulty encountered in communicating, and the named practitioner can be reassessed.
The persons at the Mahaicony Hospital more than likely were part of the Cuban brigade who did not sit the ELPT; the Medical Council is presently in dialogue with the Minister to have this corrected.
Yours faithfully,
J Johnson
Secretary
