Oleksiy Vitte: The best work is where you were born

Author: Татьяна ГалковскаяPhoto: InterMedia consulting

Oleksiy Vitte, doctor- roentgenologist decided to risk. Now he has all chances to enter the history of the independent Ukrainian medicine as the first doctor who went aboard to work, but then returned native land.

Everything began in the Kyiv medical institute (now university) when he chose not a lucrative profession of doctor - profession of roentgenologist. Then, working in the capital research institute, he began to study new technique - computerized tomographic system.

In several years he organized and became a head of the computer department and then magnet imaging system department in the Central hospital of the medical emergency service in Kyiv.

- In 1996 authorities of Yemen addressed the leadership of our public health with a request. They wanted to open new hospital and they needed specialists. I was chosen among several candidacies and I went Yemen with a group of 20 Ukrainian doctors.

- Did the work of roentgenologist in Yemen differ from the work of roentgenologist in Ukraine? Did you have any serious problems?

- I had problems with language skills. The situation was comical when I understood everything, but could tell nothing.

Then in four years in Yemen they stopped pay us, and many of us decided to return Ukraine. By this time I have jointed the group of UNO volunteers and after the closing of Yemen's project I signed a contract and went to Tanzania.

- But did the journey around the world finish?

- After Tanzania in 2005 due to the UNO contract I arrived to Afghanistan where I felt the strongest stress in my life. There I realized the feeling when real bombs exploded near me.  

- Were you sent to the hot spot?

- If you remember it was a time when the UNO Mission in Kandahar was bombed. Thank God, I worked in Kabul. Finally, having worked around a month in Afghanistan, I was evacuated together with all members of the Mission, the project was closed. In three months I signed a contract to work in Libya.

- Probably, it is hard for a European to work in the Muslim country

- It is rather uncommonly, the difference in mentality influences. Take the attitude to an illness, for example. A surgeon tells the head doctor: "The life of this patient is in danger, he may die", and the head doctor looks at him and us surprised: "Why do you know that he will die? Only Allah decides this!"

- It is interesting, what is the situation with women treatment in the Muslim countries?

- A woman can't visit doctor without a man. A brother, husband or father must come. The most often this is a husband.  

- And if a woman needs operation...

- This is another case, as the whole brigade of doctors and nurses work during the operation. But if is necessarily to visit doctor with a husband.

- Many Ukrainian doctors do not risk going abroad as it is necessary to confirm diplomas.

- This is really so. In some countries our certificates are valid without confirmation - for example, in Tanzania... But in the South Africa didn't want to do this.

If we speak about UNO volunteers, it is easier. You submit forms, three letters of recommendation, it is desirable from the international organization, and you are included in the list. The organization, where the project works, choose candidates, qualifications of which are confirmed by the UNO. If it is necessary, this person confirms his diploma - as it was in my case.

- Why?

- They paid such specialist 500 thousand dollars a year.

- Do roentgenologists earn much?

- You even couldn't imagine how reach roentgenologists are in the west! I had a study course in Holland, and there a roentgenologist earns 2 thousand guilders a day - this is around one thousand dollars.

- As I understand, our doctors will not earn such money for years. How do you think, do many of them would like to return home?

- Of course. The best work, as it is known, is where you were born. But the problem is that first of all, it is difficult to find here the worthy payment, and secondly, it is difficult to find a job after you worked abroad so long and broke off all professional relations.

- Nevertheless, you have returned.

- I have signed a contract with the group of diagnostic centers "Medivip". This company together with the Ukrainian medical union has started very interesting program on our high specialists return motherland, called "Come back, doctor!" They propose to help us to return home, to find job, and to love different legal problems.