DOCTOR RECRUITMENT A FORTUNATE START TO THE NEW YEAR
OSOYOOS TIMES-January 2, 2008
So, Osoyoos is starting 2008 off on the right foot after recruiting a pair of South African doctors.
Adding the married couple of Matthys and Ansunette de Vries to the town's physician roster is a feat that must be credited to the hard work of Osoyoos' medical community, Destination Osoyoos, Interior Health and all the other townspeople who came out to make the couple feel welcome when they visited the community in October.
Yes, the recruiting effort needs to be recognized, but Osoyoos also needs to feel fortunate.
Many B.C. communities, both larger and smaller than Osoyoos, are still struggling to deal with their own doctor shortages. Some towns and villages north and east of us are coping with fewer than two doctors in their communities while local emergency rooms are sometimes unstaffed.
Osoyoos will need to keep working hard, and hope for continued good fortune, since landing two doctors is only the first step in fixing our doctor-shortage situation.
