Patients still face medical hurdles

The shortage of female doctors and other medical professionals, especially in the field of women's health, is a problem that demands attention.

The UAE's healthcare system has been improving rapidly, but there are still some cultural hurdles for patients, particularlyfor women.

One persistent issue is the lack of female health specialists. More needs to be done to attract women into the medical profession, as general practitioners and as specialists and consultants, especially in the field of women's health.

As The National reported this week, many women are affected by the shortage of female gynaecologists: only about 10 per cent of these specialists in the UAE are women. The problem is almost as bad for female surgeons: only 20 per cent are women. Because of this, experts say, many women's illnesses go undiagnosed and untreated.

Dr Ghazal-Aswad, a consultant at Al Khaleej Health Centre, told the paper that between 5 and 10 per cent of his patients say they would not come back for treatment unless they can see a female specialist.

In one study of women's choices of obstetricians and gynaecologists in the UAE, 86.4 per cent of 508 women surveyed said they prefer female physicians for reasons of privacy, religion and culture. In many parts of the world, men and women alike prefer doctors of their own gender, but this is more of an issue in traditional societies, such as the UAE's.

The issue, however, is also more cultural than religious. Religious scholars have urged women not to be concerned about gender when seeking medical advice or treatment, especially when it comes to serious issues. Dr Ahmed Al Moosa, first preacher at the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Awqaf, said that there is no religious objection at all for women to go to male gynaecologists . "A woman can go to any doctor she feels comfortable with," he said.

But it is not always women who make these decisions. Many men don't allow their wives or daughters to be examined by male physicians. The shortfall of female health professionals makes this a problem for many women. And so more opportunities should be made available for aspiring female doctors in the UAE, from education and training through to career support and development.

Having more female medical staff to cater to the needs of conservative patients is important to help address the gap in terms of cultural needs and sensitivities.