PRESIDENT OF the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ), Dr. Alverston Bailey, has urged doctors to give back more to society.
He said it was time doctors "change the perception of citizens that as doctors we are only concerned about our own self-interests and that we are not concerned about the public's interest."
Dr. Bailey was speaking with The Gleaner following the annual awards banquet of the MAJ at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel Saturday night.
Earlier, in his address to the audience, the president gave his commitment that the medical association would begin to play an active role in society, particularly through community outreach programmes to the dispossessed in society.
TOO SILENT
According to Dr. Bailey, "Doctors have, for too long, been silent about issues that are relevant to the wider society - issues like discrimination, the abuse of citizens, the poor, and the rights of the disabled and street people and many other issues which impact people and which we appear as not showing the sort of interest we should show."
The MAJ head told The Gleaner that the association would "become more actively involved in volunteerism," and would closely work with Jamaica Red Cross as the latter addressed the needs of the vulnerable in society. The Red Cross was presented with a donation by the MAJ at the banquet.
Dr. Bailey said the Medical Association had in place a welfare programme, headed by Dr. Sandra Knight. The aim of the programme is to interact with the non-government organisations (NGOs) that are involved in charity and to invite them to include doctors in their plans.
"We have a large pool of skilled personnel who are willing to volunteer their services to these organisations," he explained.
Three doctors received MAJ awards. They were Drs. Owen James and Pauline Milbourn and Professor Brendan Bain.
