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Working in
The Yemen Population: 20 million The Republic of Yemen was declared on the 22. May 1990 after re-unification of the Arabic Republic of Yemen (North Yemen) and the Marxist oriented Democratic People’s Republic of Yemen (South Yemen). North Yemen gained independency from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and South Yemen from Great Britain in 1967. The economy mainly relies on agriculture which is sometimes difficult because of the specific geography of the country. The main crops are cereals and fruit but in the main coffee and especially qat are widely cultivated. (Qat is a mild stimulant which is widely used throughout the society. Its young leaves are masticated.) Recent industrial growth areas are oil and natural gas industries as well as commercial fishing. Politically there is some stability and at least the major cities are safe. In rural areas and remote towns tribal conflicts are common and it is unwise to travel without an armed escort. In general the people are exceptionally friendly if they are approached in a friendly and accepting way. Arabic is the official language but many people speak English and German. Medicine: Medical treatment is free of charge for the Yemeni. There is a system of public hospitals in the larger cities. The hospitals are run by the health ministry which operates an office in every town. Due to chronic lack of resources, standards of care are often not very high. There is quite a substantial number of private hospitals and many new ones are being built. (The ratio of public to private hospitals is about 1 to 3) Due to much higher standards of care they are popular but prompt payment in cash is expected. Several companies offer their employees (and sometimes also their closer family) free private treatment. Although about 80 % of Yemeni doctors graduate abroad, basic medical training is possible at the public University of Sana’a for free. Two private universities offer medical training. Medical studies are divided into a three year basic part and a three year clinical period. A practical year is compulsory. There is a comprehensive exam after the third year and a final exam after six years. Five-year specialist training is possible in preparation for the Arabic Board Exam which takes place in Damascus and a two-year diploma course is also offered. The majority of consultants underwent training abroad. (especially in other Arabic countries, Germany, USA and Russia) The general case load is very broad and includes infectious diseases like malaria and a large number of trauma (i.e. gun shot wounds, stabbing wounds) as every man is traditionally armed with a knife (Djambia) and often with hand and machine guns. There is a special demand for consultants and advanced trainees. The range of medical equipment varies from brand new to antique. The need for improvisation is undeniable but colleagues and families are very helpful and practical. Patients are generally friendly but also want (and should) to be informed in great detail about treatments and risks. It is not uncommon to face a family of 8-10 people in a consultation or to be approached by three families at the same time. Good communication skills are essential. |
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