More medical specialists needed to staff planned new hospitals

Panama’s government is working on plans to build 39 new hospitals and clinics but is concerned about manning them as existing facilities are already short of staff.

President Ricardo Martinelli, has called again for the recruitinment of more specialists to work in the country's public hospitals.

Speaking in Chiriquie, he regretted that there are few doctors who specialize in areas such as Oncology and Anesthesiology and said he was looking at creating incentives to prompt more medical students to train for these specialties.
Martinellu called on health authorities to anticipate the need to graduate new medical specialists as soon as possible.