Increasing shortage of doctors among Finnish peacekeeping troops

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The shortage of Finnish doctors in peacekeeping operations has become worse over the last 12 months. Currently, a total of four doctors and one dentist are being sought for the operations in Kosovo and Lebanon.
     
The shortage is being covered by using doctors from other countries’ peacekeeping troops and by sending Finnish Defence Force doctors on short-term missions to the crisis areas.
      According to Colonel Mauri Koskela, the Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces International Centre, no serious problems have arisen as a result of the shortfall as yet, but doctors are urgently needed for emergencies, among other cases.
      Koskela comments further that the reason for this situation is the acute shortage of doctors in Finland.
     
The Finnish Defence Forces are to investigate whether or not Finns could make permanent arrangements to buy services from other countries’ troops or from local doctors.
      Another question is whether or not work as a peacekeeper could be accepted as experience that a doctor is gathering for his or her area of specialisation.
      Furthermore, the recruiting of doctors for peacekeeping operations is to be intensified.
      The Defence Forces increased the monthly salary for those doctors who went on a mission to serve in a peacekeeping operation by around EUR 500 a couple of months ago.
     
The shortagge of doctors became acute last autumn when the number of applications for vacancies was suddenly lower than previously. At the same time, the demand for doctors grew when Finland joined the United Nations Interim Force UNIFIL, set up in Lebanon last autumn.
      Typically, peacekeepers are taken on for at least six months, but because of the shortage, the Defence Forces are prepared to recruit doctors for even a shorter period. In fact, the longest period a Finnish doctor has been sent to Lebanon is three months.
      Currently, an Irish doctor is taking care of the roughly 200 Finnish peacekeepers in Lebanon.
     
In Kosovo, Finns are treated by a Finnish on-duty doctor who belongs to the European Union Rapid Reaction Force and will return to Finland at the end of June.
      The next doctor will be sent to Kosovo - for a stopgap period of two weeks - in July.
     
Around 400 Finnish peacekeepers are serving in the NATO-led Kosovo Force KFOR. In cases of emergency they get medical care from other countries’ doctors.
      Out of the total of five doctors’ positions in peacekeeping operations, only the one in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afganistan has been filled.
      Finnish doctors have not been assigned to all operations involving Finnish peacekeepers. However, efforts are being made to send a Finnish doctor for the most difficult operations.
      The shortage of doctors reached a critical point last summer, when doctors were being sought to accompany the Finnish troops who were sent on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish troops in Afghanistan: Wounded soldier got in line of fire (26.10.2006)

Links:
  Finnish Defence Forces International Centre
  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL

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