Doctor shortage in Ittoqqortoormiit is a problem

There is no doctor in Ittoqqortoormiit, which has 328 inhabitants, and this not only creates insecurity among the citizens, but is also unacceptable, says member of Inatsisartut, Mette Arqe-Hammeken, Naleraq. She has therefore asked Naalakkersuisut a question under section 37 about how it is possible to have a permanent doctor and what it would cost.

In some towns, including Ittoqqortoormiit, it is currently difficult to employ a permanent doctor, writes Naalakkersuisut for Health and Persons with Disabilities, Anna Wangenheim, Demokraatit, in a response.

Two nurses

Ittoqqortoormiit is one of the most inaccessible towns in Greenland, but still the town has not had a doctor for many years. The health centre only employs two nurses.

According to the response from Naalakkersuisoq for Health, a specialist is not obliged to be available at short notice, and if a doctor is to be employed in Ittoqqortoormiit with working hours from eight in the morning to four in the afternoon, this is used as an example of what it would cost. It is clarified that the costs of hiring and retaining staff are not included in the calculation.

High costs

According to the information provided to Mette Arqe-Hammeken, a doctor in Ittoqqortoormiit will have an annual salary of a total of 1,080,183 kroner. For a doctor who cannot take time off, there is an annual supplement of 106,383 kroner, which brings the total annual income to 1,186,567 kroner.

- It is currently difficult to recruit doctors for permanent positions in the coastal areas. Therefore, it is expected that the appointments will be on short-term contracts.

- In addition to the costs of the doctor's salary, there are also costs expected for doctors who work in rotation every four weeks, it is expected by the health service.

- There are also costs expected for daily allowances for four days for doctors who travel in rotation. These are expected to be around 135,000 kroner annually, says Anna Wangenheim.

Costs of around 30,000 - 40,000 kroner are also expected for each doctor who travels in rotation. This means that the total costs for doctors who travel in rotation are expected to be between 390,000 - 520,000 kroner, writes the Minister of Health in her response.

- This means that the annual costs for the above and for holiday pay are expected to be between 1.7 - 1.85 million kroner, specifies Anna Wangenheim.

If a doctor is not employed in Ittoqqortoormiit all year round, but only for one month, it will cost an average of around 98,881 kroner per month.

- This means that a doctor working in Ittoqqortoormiit twice a year for one month will receive a total salary of 197,762 kroner, she says.

Travel expenses upon employment and termination are not included here.

According to information from the health center in Ittoqqortoormiit, only one nurse is employed at times due to difficulties in finding temporary workers.

Consultations in Ittoqqortoormiit are carried out directly via computer connection to Queen Ingrid's Hospital in Nuuk.

Taking the matter further

It is not reassuring that there is no prospect of having a doctor in Ittoqqortoormiit in the near future, says Mette Arqe-Hammeken, who is from Ittoqqortoormiit but now lives in Nuuk.

- It is of course good that there are permanent nurses at the health center in Ittoqqortoormiit, but it is unsafe that there is no doctor.

- When something urgent happens, we really need a doctor, so it must be ensured that we, like other cities in Greenland, receive medical services.

- If a permanent doctor is to be employed in Ittoqqortoormiit, the costs will be very high, according to the answer. But if good and safe service is to be achieved for the citizens, money must not be an obstacle, she says.

In order to improve transport conditions in East Greenland, the Greenland Government and the Danish state have entered into an agreement to build runways for aircraft in Ittoqqortoormiit and Tasiilaq. In connection with the construction of the runway in Ittoqqortoormiit, it must be ensured that a doctor is employed, says Mette Arqe-Hammeken. That is why she is now working on a resolution in Inatsisartut to have a permanent doctor in Ittoqqortoormiit, she emphasizes.