Ukrainian doctors in N.L. who fled the war say they are frustrated with province

A physician who fled the Russian invasion ofUkraine and arrived in Newfoundland last month says she's frustratedby a lack of communication from the provincial government andshe's not the only one.

Maryna Sikorska said she is eager to workas a general physician in St. John's. But she said that until Sundaynight, her emails to the province asking for help went unanswered.

Sikorska said she knows four other physicians and one nurse fromher country who have relocated to Newfoundland and feel equallystymied by a lack of communication from the government. By contrast,she points to Nova Scotia's Health Department, which is activelyrecruiting Ukrainian health-care professionals including those inNewfoundland and Labrador.

"I don't want to go from Newfoundland, I like this place," shesaid. "I like these people and I want to help them, but I can't.And it's broken my heart, really."

Newfoundland and Labrador has worked hard to attract Ukrainiansleaving their country amid attacks from the Russian army. Thegovernment established a satellite office in Warsaw, Poland, to helpUkrainians resettle in the province, and it chartered two flightsfrom Poland to St. John's, each carrying more than 150 Ukrainians.

Sikorska arrived on June 14 with her husband and three children.Before that, she had been a general practitioner for eight years inKyiv, where she opened a medical centre. She also taught pediatricsat Ukraine's military medical academy, she said.

Sikorska said she understands she will have to retrain and writeexams to become licensed in Newfoundland and Labrador. But there areways the province might be able to help or speed up that process,she said, noting that even providing translated forms andcertification information would help.

"They said that they need doctors, that the people don't havefamily doctors," she said of the provincial representatives shespoke to before she moved to St. John's.

Nova Scotia recruiting

Meanwhile, Nova Scotia's Health Department has contactedUkrainian physicians in Newfoundland to offer perks like housing anddaycare if they relocate to that province, Michael Holden, who helpsUkrainians settle in Newfoundland, said in an interview Monday.

Nova Scotia also launched an online portal in late June to helppair Ukrainian health-care workers with jobs. Khalehla Perrault, aDepartment of Health and Wellness spokeswoman, said in an emailMonday that no one has yet been matched with a job through thesystem; however, "multiple health-care providers" are working withall those who applied.

Holden said he's part of a group chat that includes 10 Ukrainiandoctors who are frustrated with the provincial government. Two localdoctors who are also part of the group say they are ready to helpUkrainian physicians study for medical licensing exams, he said.

"We do not want frustrated Ukrainian doctors here inNewfoundland," Holden said. "We should be rolling out the redcarpet for them."

Holden said doctors are desperately needed in the province Newfoundland and Labrador's medical association released a poll lastmonth showing that nearly one in four residents are without a familyphysician.

He created a widely shared social media post Sunday about afrustrated Ukrainian doctor, which prompted a response from TomOsborne, the province's new health minister, who urged Ukrainiandoctors to contact his office or the office of Premier Andrew Fureydirectly.

Holden said he then sent his list of doctors to Osborne, whobegan emailing each of them. Osborne also offered to set up ameeting with the physicians, he said.

Next, Holden said he would like to see the province offer thesame kinds of supports to these doctors that they can get in NovaScotia, as they study for the difficult exams they must pass inorder to practise in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"I want to see a level playing field between provinces," hesaid.

Osborne's office was unable to provide a response or an interviewMonday.

Sikorska received an email from Osborne Sunday night, afterforwarding his office an email she had sent to the premier's officeon July 7. Osborne's email thanked her for her note and said hisstaff would be in contact with her soon.

"We'll see," she said.

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