4th November 2016

The Right Hon Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH, GCSK, KCMG, QC,

Prime Minister,
Minister of Defence, Home Affairs,
Minister for Rodrigues and National Development Unit
Dear Hon. Prime Minister,
Sub: Pre-Registration Examination for Trainees by the Ministry of Health
and Quality of Life
We are a group of medical graduates writing this open letter to express our
concerns about some issues and what we feel is an injustice in regards to the
introduction of the Pre-Registration Examination (PREE) which has been
implemented by the Ministry of Health and Quality of life recently.
We wish to bring to your kind notice and esteemed attention that we have spent 5
to 6 years of medical studies and training in medical institutions which are
recognised by both the Medical Council of Mauritius and the World Health
Organisation. After being awarded our degree in Medicine, we have decided to
return to our home country so as to offer our service to the Mauritian population. We
have applied for a provisional registration with the Medical Council of Mauritius and
have also applied to the Public Service Commission, to which we have all received
the approval of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life to get enrolled as PreRegistration Trainees in the different hospitals of Mauritius.
However, we wish to highlight the amendments brought to the Finance Bill through
the Medical Council Act dated 7th September 2016: The Medical Council Act will be
amended to provide for a prospective doctor to be assessed before his enlistment
as a pre-registration intern with a view to ensuring that he has the required
knowledge, standard, skills and competence. In spite of the fact that we have
registered at a date before the amendment came into force, we are being
compelled to sit for the examination. I would like to draw your attention to the fact
that the amendment that came into force on the 7th of September 2016 is NOT an
ex post facto amendment, meaning it cannot have a retroactive effect.
Furthermore, we were not, at any point in time, while going through the procedures
for acquiring registration, informed that there would be a Pre-Registration
Examination. Some of us have been waiting for more than one year to get a seat for
this internship. Albeit having already obtained our degree, we are still relying on our
elderly parents to cater for our daily expenses. The lack of information from the
Ministry of Health and Quality of Life as well as the Medical Council, have led us to
rely on unofficial news through the media so as to obtain a glimpse of hope as to
when we would finally be recruited.

On the 27th October 2016, we were informed by the Medical Council, by means of an
information bulletin, that there would be an entrance examination for PreRegistration Trainees which will be held on the 26 th of November 2016, that is, in
less than a months time. The syllabus given by the Medical Council included
non-relevant themes for Mauritius such as Courts of India, Health and Urban
planning for India and Dowry Death, themes which are only valid for India. The
Medical Council again changed the syllabus after some time, where it removed
themes such as Courts of India but left other irrelevant themes such as Dowry
Death. We were flabbergasted by the lack of professionalism from the Council, and
were appalled by the ruthless manner and time limit that we were given to prepare
for that examination. We wish to draw your attention to the fact, Sir, that we are
being given less than a months time to prepare what we have learned during these
5-6 years for that examination, which is in itself, not humanly possible.
Some of us have spent more than 2 million rupees of our parents hard earned
money for our medical studies whilst others have taken huge debts to be able to
finance their studies. We therefore find ourselves in a complicated situation, and
this is why we were all eagerly awaiting to be recruited by the different hospitals in
Mauritius as Pre-Registration Trainees.
Arguments in favour for the examination provided by both the Ministry of Health
and the Medical Council of Mauritius, is that they have a duty to protect the
population from substandard doctors. Albeit we strongly agree, we would however
like to duly emphasise on the fact that interns DO NOT play any role in diagnosing
and treating conditions and ailments, nor do they have the right to prescribe
any medication to anyone. Interns, that is, Pre-registration Trainees, can only
work under the tutorship of an experienced doctor, specialist or
consultant, shadowing them and keeping an up to date record of the general
condition of the patient. Therefore, the quality of healthcare received by the
patients is in no way dependent on the actions of the interns. The latter are
merely in the hospital to acquire knowledge in clinical practice on how to treat
patients, and we believe that every intern should have the chance to accumulate
that kind of clinical knowledge in hospitals.
Furthermore, the parliamentary committee of India stated that The Medical council
of India is largely responsible for corruption in Health care (Firstpost journal India; Apr 29,
2016 08:10 IST, article by Rakesh Bhatnagar; the wall street journal, Jul 18, 2014 4:30 pm IST: Indian health

On the information bulletin

provided by the Medical Council of Mauritius, it is stated that No queries will be
entertained with regard to the eligibility and disclosures of results. (Information
bulletin, Paragraph 2, Annex C www.medicalcouncilmu.org). We find the lack of
transparency from the Medical Council of Mauritius to be both puzzling and
untrustworthy.
minister hon. Harsh Vardhan stating that the health industry is corrupt).

In light of the current situation, we rely on your commitment and that of your
government to support and retain young graduates in Mauritius who wish to serve
their country. We wish to make a humble appeal to you, Sir, to provide justice to our
cause by applying the Law in a correct fashion, that is, by kindly requesting you to
review and reconsider this decision so that the Pre-Registration Entry Examination
be held only for those who have registered on or after the 7 th of September 2016.
We thank you in anticipation.
Yours Truly,

Head of a group of 300 medical graduates

CC: Hon. Anil Kumar Gayan

Minister of Health and Quality of Life
Ministry of Health and Quality of Life
CC: The Chairman
Medical Council of Mauritius
CC: Hon. SUDARSHAN Bhadain
Minister of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms,
Ministry of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms,